ADELAIDE: Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah on Friday scalped two Australian wickets to keep India in the game after the visitors got bundled out cheaply in their first innings on the second day of the ongoing pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval.
At the end of first session, Australia were 35/2 and trailed by 209 runs in reply to India’s 244. The hosts could have been three down had Bumrah hung on to the catch of Marnus Labuschagne at the fine-leg boundary.
Earlier, resuming the day at 233/6, Indian lower order couldn’t contribute much as overnight batsmen Ravichandran Ashwin (15) and Wriddhiman Saha (9) got back to the dressing room within the first two overs bowled by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc respectively.
Umesh Yadav (6) and Mohammad Shami (0) were the last two wickets to fall as Indian innings came to an end after adding just 11 runs to the overnight score. Bumrah remained unbeaten on 4.
Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers as he returned with figures of 4/53. Cummins scalped three wickets, conceding 48 runs. Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon picked one wicket each.
The Indian pacers got off to a great start and bowled on great lines and lengths and didn’t allow Australian openers — Matthew Wade and Joe Burns — to get off the mark in the first four overs.
Wade (8) was the first one to get out as he was trapped in front by Bumrah. The left-handed batsman took the review but was adjudged out courtesy umpire’s call.
Burns, who has been in terrible form in the recent times, became Bumrah’s second scalp as he too got out leg-before wicket at his individual score of 8.
Labuschagne (16*) and Steve Smith (1*) then made sure Australia didn’t lose any further wickets till Dinner break.
Brief scores: India 244 all out (Virat Kohli 74, Cheteshwar Pujara 43; Mitchell Starc 4/53), Australia 35/2 at Dinner(Marnus Labuschagne 16*; Matthew Wade 8; Jasprit Bumrah 2/8)
IANS
