Nagpur witnessed Indian captain Rohit Sharma in full cry on day two as the opener smashed a wonderful ton to put the team firmly in the driver’s seat against visitors Australia in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 on Friday.
India finished the second day’s play at 321/7, leading by 144 runs with 3 wickets remaining.
Ravindra Jadeja’s return to the fore following his bout of struggles with an injury was highlighted by his distinguished half-century to add to his sterling performance with the ball prior to the day.
Axar Patel also joined the party as he brought up his second Test fifty with a quality innings. He supported Jadeja as the left-handed batters put up an unbeaten 81-run stand to close off the second day.
Jadeja claimed his eleventh career fife-for on the first day to set India up for a pace-setting innings at the crease and Rohit came to the fore as he brought up his ninth Test ton by chipping away the Australian bowling attack to help the home side register a good lead at the end of the second day of the match.
India wrapped up Australia’s first innings for a total of 177 runs before finishing the opening day at 77 for the loss of KL Rahul’s wicket, and Rohit continued his fine touch as he lead from the front.
Rohit resumed batting on the second-day batting at 56 with Ravichandran Ashwin, who came in as a night watchman during the previous day’s last session.
India held on well till lunch as Rohit batted his way patiently to reach 86 runs before the break for lunch while Ashwin was dismissed for 26 runs off a Todd Murphy delivery.
The Rohit-Ashwin 42-run stand took India past the 100-run mark before Ashwin had to take the long walk back to the pavilion with the team at 118 for 2.
Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara was shown the exit door early too for a paltry score of 7 off 14 deliveries before Scot Boland took his catch off debutant Murphy as India went ended the first session with three wickets down.
Former captain Virat Kohli entered the fray and stayed on till lunch making 12 runs off the 26 balls he face before falling in the first delivery post-lunch.
Indian Test debutant Suryakumar Yadav announced himself with a brilliant boundary to get off the mark, but his innings too was brought to a premature end as he was dismissed for 8 runs to a Nathan Lyon ball, which beat the 32-year-old’s defence on its way to the stumps.
But, Rohit was holding steady at the other end as he became the nation’s first skipper to score a ton across all formats of the game with his first century against Australia.
Jadeja made his way to the crease following Yadav’s dismissal and accompanied the skipper at the centre as a jubilant Rohit raised his bat and acknowledged the Nagpur crowd who willed the captain on during his crucial innings.
Rohit’s innings came to an end during the third session of the second day after Australia decided to take the second new ball. He fell to his counterpart, Pat Cummins, whose menacing delivery sent the Indian batter’s off stump cartwheeling.
However, Rohit’s well-made 120 placed India at 229 for 6 with a first-innings lead of 52, which was then built on by Jadeja.
Srikar Bharath was the next to walk in before being given the marching orders after being trapped in front of the wicket by yet another Murphy delivery which also gave the debutant his five-wicket haul.
Murphy had a dream debut as he registered a five-wicket haul on a day he will certainly hold special, irrespective of the heights the 22-year-old might go on to scale in his seemingly promising future.
Axar steadied the Indian innings as he walked out to the centre in the 84th over with looking Jadeja set at the other end.
Jadeja made his comeback series with a patient fifty in the 93rd over and brought out his iconic sword dance celebration to mark his return, while Axar was seen smiling ear to ear at the opposite end of the crease congratulating his colleague on his landmark.
Axar would have his moment in the sun shortly after as he waded his way through the Aussie bowling carefully to surpass the fifty run mark before the umpire signalled the end of the day as he pushed the bails off the stumps.
India ended the second day of the Test at 321 for the loss of seven wickets, with Jadeja going strong at 66 and Axar well settled at 52.
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