Yashasvi Jaiswal ends day two within two shots of a century, ably supported by opening partner KL Rahul as the openers bat India into a winning position in the first Test in Perth.
Jaiswal, playing his first Test against Australia, was coming off a duck in the first innings but balanced composure and aggression as he powered his way into the 90s just before stumps.
After 17 wickets fell on the opening day’s play, Jaiswal showed maturity beyond his 22 years and 15 Tests, and holstered some of the agricultural strokeplay that has made him one of the most exciting young batters in world cricket.
He reached 50 for the 12th time in Tests off 123 balls, before putting the pedal down somewhat — including a stunning six off his pads off Mitchell Starc — and moving to 90 off his 193rd ball faced in the final over of the day.
The biggest challenge he faced appear to come not from the Australian bowling, but from his own body as his arms started cramping and he was forced to repeatedly call for the trainers.
Rahul finished on 62 not out as the openers batted two whole sessions unscathed to build a lead of 218 runs after Australia was dismissed for 104, trailing by 46, just before lunch.
KL Rahul (R) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) batted 57 overs straight. (Getty Images: Izhar Khan)
Earlier, Mitchell Starc (26) and Josh Hazlewood (7 not out) thwarted India’s quest for an even bigger first innings lead with a dogged display of batting.
Jasprit Bumrah claimed the edge of Alex Carey (21) with his first ball of the day, before Lyon (5) gloved Harshit Rana to Rahul at gully, promising a swift conclusion to Australia’s batting innings.
But despite weathering blows to the helmet and body, Starc stood tall, farming the strike and frustrating India for almost an hour and a half before he eventually holed out to Rishabh Pant, giving India a 46-run advantage.
Look back at how day two of the first Test unfolded in our live blog below and check out the full ScoreCentre.
This has been an absolute spanking.
India has dominated this day from start to finish, and are on their way to a commanding position in this Test match as a result – if they’re not there already.
Australia has failed to take a wicket in 57 near chanceless overs as Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul have put the much-vaunted bowling attack to the sword.
India deserve all the credit in the world for keeping things in control.
You just wouldn’t have guessed this would be the score at the end of today’s play.
A scarcely believable 17 wickets fell in 76.4 overs on day one.
Just three have fallen today in 81.2 overs. Remarkable.
We will be back for all the action tomorrow, where Australia will need to start fast and make some inroads or else kiss any chance of winning this Test good bye.
Myself and Jon Healy will be here for all that action, and we look forward to you joining us then.
I’m a bit flabbergasted – I certainly wasn’t expecting consecutive wicketless sessions given 20 wickets fell in the first 4 sessions. Tomorrow will be better.
– Mike
Hmmmmm.
I think this will be the last one of the day – it seems odd that they’d give it to Marnus.
Jaiswal fends a shortish ball off his ribs to square leg for an easy single.
Bouncer, ducked under by Rahul.
Bouncer, ducked under by Rahul.
That second one was too high apparently, and is considered the one for the over, despite appearing almost identical to the previous ball.
Another short ball, outside off.
“That’s two,” says the umpire. So he can’t bowl another short one.
OH MY! Marnus gets the ball to rear up and catch Rahul on the glove! That’s a decent ball from Marnus.
Solid defence to end the over.
What on earth has made the tremendous difference between yesterday and today in regards to run scoring/wicket opportunities????
– Was That Only Yesterday
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Rahul on strike, a leg slip and bat pad in place, Rahul defends solidly.
Rahul just fends the ball towards Head, who fields from under the helmet.
Now he gets the ball past those two close fielders but there is no run as there is cover there at backward square leg.
Smith, the leg slip, now fields the ball on the dive.
Slightly squared up there was Rahul, who seems content to see out the over here without doing anything crazy as time continues to tick down on the day’s play.
Head fields the last one.
I don’t like to seem like I’m flogging a dead horse, but this attack, while brilliant on its day, can seem a bit out of ideas as soon as things don’t go their way.
One can only hope the Aussie batters will be able to make just as good a start as the Indians have, when it comes time to bat…– Jeremy
Rahul defends the first and then leaves the next, a bouncer that drifts down the leg side. That second delivery was a no ball.
Rahul drives to cover point and they pick up an easy single.
The lead now is 217.
Bouncer, Jaiswal ducks under that one.
BEATEN! Play and a miss from Jaiswal outside off stump. Jaiswal just tries to loosen out his arms a little.
And now he calls for the physio. He’s not injured. It’s cramp. That’s a fitness issue.
The umpires do come over and have a little word.
Now they are telling Jaiswal and the Indian physio to hurry up. Richard Kettleborough has suggested that if he is injured, he needs to go off.
Former Test coach and player Darren Lehmann ponders on ABC Sport if the proximity to stumps might have contributed to this call for the trainer.
“It’s interesting, the young man’s made 214 before, was he cramping this much that day?”
Jaiswal can continue. It’s a miracle.
CLOSE! Cummins angles the ball into Jaiswal, a bouncer that he almost turns around the corner straight into the paws of Travis Head.
Who knew? Turns out they do like Test cricket in Perth.
Too short, but Rahul can’t capitalise – or can he? Lyon can’t field off his bowling and they’ll get a single.
Jaiswal defends a delivery that has lovely shape from Lyon. Good flight. He is starting to hit his rhythm.
Good drift, Jaiswal clips to long on for a single.
Lyon is going to come around the wicket to Rahul.
Leg slip, bat pad, Rahul clips away for a single.
Cut, Jaiswal can’t beat the fielder at backward point.
BEATEN! Lyon tosses the ball out wide and Jaiswal takes the bait, swinging wildly and almost overbalancing as Carey whips the bails off.
Nice from Lyon.
His opposition captain completed a five-fa earlier today.
One will do for Cummins today. At least.
Bat pad in place, a gully, three fielders back, Jaiswal pushes away for a single.
Short ball into the body, Rahul defends that nicely down in front of Travis Head at bat pad.
Bouncer, sharp one at 141kph and Rahul has a swing but misses.
FOUR! Just a little edge down past the keeper to fine leg for a boundary. It’s given as leg byes. India won’t care.
He gets a single now out to cover.
Good bouncer – there is an appeal but I’m not sure what for? Was there a sound? It was nowhere near the bat.
The Travis Head experiment lasts exactly six balls.
And the Indian 12th man is out there again. It’s almost every second over at the moment. No wonder over rates are so bad. Jaiswal is getting his arm rubbed, which I’m sure is lovely for him, but it’s another delay.
Anyway, here comes Lyon, setting his field, hoping for some magic dust to sprinkle from his fingers onto this 51-over-old ball.
Jaiswal reaches forward and clips the ball through midwicket for a single.
Rahul does some gardening while Lyon rearranges his pawns. And then pushes a single into the covers – a very simple single.
Solid defence from Jaiswal. Very watchful, to a hint of turn off the deck.
SIX! MASSIVE SIX! Jaiswal has hammered that over long on after skipping down the pitch.
He feels at that forearm again.
He slaps the next through cover, only a single this time.
Rahul reaches forward and defends off the inside edge to a ball that does move in a little bit.
Rahul fends into the off side but doesn’t take a single to cover.
Two slips, a gully and Marnus saves a brilliant drive from going towards the boundary in the covers. He looks like he might have hurt himself a little bit there as well… He’s feeling at his thumb. It was a great stop to a fierce drive. Let’s hope it hasn’t cost him.
Rahul clips off his pads this time and they’ll take a single.
Solid defence from Jaiswal.
EDGED! FOUR! Wide of the slips, behind gully and that ball has flown to the boundary. It was very short of the slip cordon, so even if there was a fielder there it would likely not have been caught.
Jaiswal takes a single, off his hip, for a single.
India’s lead is 183 runs.
It’s time for Travis Head! Can he change Australia’s fortunes?
Jaiswal hammers the ball down to long off for a single.
Respectful defense from Rahul first up to Head.
Now he cuts, late, past the fielder at backward point and they are going to run two. Good running.
Rahul gets a single.
India’s entire first innings lasted 49.4 overs. No wickets have fallen in their second dig yet.
A clip off his pads for a single by Jaiswal.
Now Rahul smashes that one through the covers, Josh Hazlewood lopes out to the ball. Just a couple.
The 12th man brings out some bananas for India’s batters. I assume he couldn’t do that at drinks, but whatever.
Slashing cut from Jaiswal, missing everything. A rash shot.
He defends the next.
Cummins comes around the wicket and angles the ball into Jaiswal, who defends.
Bouncer from Cummins, some jeering from the Indian-inclined supporters in the crowd.
FOUR! Bouncer over the top of everything – byes. Jaiswal looked to add some bat to that but missed getting a touch. Carey had no chance.
Jaiswal defends solidly.
Jaiswal clips off his pads for a single.
Down the leg side gloved off his hip by Jaiswal for a single.
Rahul gets a single down to backward point!
It’s hus seventh against Australia, 16th overall and has taken him 124 balls.
Jaiswal defends one.
Now he gets trapped high on the pads. There is no chance of that being out but there is a semi-appeal.
Now he cuts, hard through point for a couple.
Jaiswal clips away for a single and farm the strike at the end of the over.
SIX! Oh my goodness what a shot! Just a clip off his feet to a leg-side delivery and it’s flown over the boundary. Wow! That’s an incredible shot!
BEATEN! Oh my goodness! That ball barely got up and flew under the bat of Jaiswal. Suddenly there is a bit of low bounce.
Jaiswal clips to cover and takes a single.
Starc steams in and bowls down the leg side of Rahul, who leaves it alone.
FOUR! Driven superbly by Rahul through point for another boundary. That’s an excellent shot, wonderfully timed.
One slip, one gully, Jaiswal fends the ball downwards towards that slip. No run.
He leaves the next, angled across his body.
Jaiswal clips off his pads and gets a single. A very easy single.
Marsh steams in, over the wicket and bowls straight towards off stump, where Rahul defends solidly.
Another solid defensive stroke from Rahul.
Did that keep low? Marsh leaps in the air as Rahul gets himself in a bit of a tangle to defend that delivery off his stumps.
Can Starc emerge from the gloom to make inroads?
Glorious stroke from Rahul, through the covers and they will run three.
Jaiswal cuts uppishly towards backward point, but there is no run.
A bit edgy there from Jaiswal towards gully, but all the way along the ground.
Jaiswal drives the ball straight back from where it came but Starc fields in his follow through.
Quick single now taken into the short midwicket area. More good strike rotation.
Now, that shadow is already creeping across the pitch, Rahul isn’t bothered by it yet and defends solidly.
