India Vs Australia 4th Test day 2 Review

 Welcome to another Match review and today we are going to look back at the things that happened on day 2 of the 4th test match held between India and Australia at the Brisbane Cricket Ground.  So let us get to the review without further delay.  If you just didn't know about what happened on the first day, then please click the following link to visit the review of Day 1.  India Vs Australia 4th Test day 1 Review . 

Day 2-Session 1:

          Aussies came to bat on day 1 following a very superb first day in which they completely out played the Indians.  And the day started fairly well with green and paine moving on steadily.  Green looked a bit on the struggling side as the ball was moving around a little bit.  Saini never bowled, so India had to bowl their four available options.  For a brief period of time, Paine played like he would take the game away from India as Australia crossed 300 without loss of any wickets on day 2.  Green then found his touch as he hit some boundaries.  Paine then slowly progressed to his fifty and the partnership was worth over 80 runs.  This was the next major partnership for the Aussies after the Labushagne-Wade Partnership.  Just before finishing 100 overs in their innings Paine got out to Shardul Thakur.  To be fair Paine literally threw it away.  Because he was set and was ready to blow.  But he just tried to drive the ball through the covers without moving his feet or his body.  Because without a lot of foot movement he just slapped at the ball and paid his price as he edged it to second slip and Rohit Sharma was there to take a good catch.  From there it was only downhill for the next 20 minutes or so.  Pat Cummins came in but he was dismissed fairly easily this time as Shardul Thakur bowled a fuller delivery which Pat Cummins tried to flick but the ball hit him on the full and he was given out LBW.  Washington Sundar then cleaned up Cameron Green.  Green, who played for the turn was outplayed because there was no turn in the ball and the ball held it's line.  So Green played for the turn and the ball went on to hit leg and middle stump.

  And the bounce also did him.  From 311-5 now the score was 315-8 in the space of 3 overs.  India really powered their way back into the game and had momentum by their side.  But Lyon and Starc had many other ideas.  Lyon, in his hundredth test came out and displayed some really good strokes.

          The Indian bowlers were bowling way too short to Starc and Lyon and they had no regrets playing the pull shot.  Sundar let Lyon sweep few balls and Lyon was very successful in sweeping Sundar.  But Sundar outplayed Lyon as he bowled a way fuller and a wider ball which slightly turned and hit leg stump.  But Lyon and Starc had already done all the damage.  From a point in which 350 looked impossible, Australia went on to lose their 9th wicket only at 354.  And Hazlewood came in destroyed Siraj.  Still the Indian bowlers were bowling shorter lines.  They needed a death bowler who can bang the ball in the yorking or the fuller length.  And after all this had happened debutant Natarajan cleaned up Hazlewood to make his wicket tally 3.  The Inexperienced Indian lineup especially the bowlers, showed a lot of character to pull the game back their way and the session clearly belonged to India as India took out 5 wickets by conceding just 94 runs.  Which could have been even lesser if Lyon and Starc were not allowed to settle in.  India's task was cut out, they just had to make the most of the remaining 2 sessions and lose as lesser wickets as possible.  The teams went in for lunch and returned as India came on to bat, chasing 370 to lead this test match.  So let us get to the second session and also the Indian batting innings.

Day-2 Session 2:

          India came out to bat with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill opening the batting for India.  India started cautiously as Starc and Hazlewood were tormenting the Indian batsmen with good lines.  But Starc and Hazlewood did not do enough to pick any wickets in their spell.  And As expected Pat Cummins came on.  Gill and Rohit had just set up their innings but their scores were less. And Cummins didn't take much time to make an impact.  He dismissed Gill right away.  Gill just was unsure whether to leave or hit the ball as he edged it to smith who took a good catch.  And India lost their first wicket even before putting 20 runs on the board.  And then Pujara Joined Rohit at the middle and they took the score slowly upward.  As usual Pujara played his natural defensive set up innings and Rohit once got in started to score at a very good rate.  But the overall run rate was still under 4.  But both the batsman showed no problems whatsoever.

         They knew that the pitch had nothing to offer once the ball got older.  So they waited for the deterioration of the shine of the ball, so that they could make runs easily.  Pujara looked a little bit edgy as Cummins was determined to get him out but he could not do it.  Rohit was hitting boundaries for ease as he just pushed his way to a score of 44.  But just as he does in his overseas outings threw his wicket away just like he did in the last innings after getting his fifty.

  He had just hit a boundary of Lyon and then tried to step out and hit Lyon out of the park.  Lyon sensing that he had stepped out and he just dropped the ball a lot shorter, so Rohit had reach out for the ball, so he could not generate the power he wanted to resulting in the loss of his wicket.  Rohit simply threw his wicket just 5 overs before the session to end.  Then Rahane and Pujara just played out the remainder of the session.  But just at the end of the session, things didn't look good for India.  The Storm clouds had covered whole of Brisbane and Rain started to pour into thus resulting in stopping the play due to rain.

          The Third session never started as Rain spoiled the play.

  Only 54 overs bowled in the day and a big loss for India as 36 overs were lost.  Already 3 overs were lost yesterday.  So tomorrow is a very big day for both the teams as the match gets decided tomorrow.  Whether India take the lead on Australia or Australia Bowl out India and come out to set a total.  All this has brought us to a nail biting 3rd day.  So let us wait for the 3rd day and until then it is good bye from sportscurator.