Australia put up an improved performance with the bat on the opening day of the second Test against India in Delhi but they were bowled out for 263. After being bundled for 177 and 91 in Nagpur, the Australians had Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb to thank for more respectable first innings total here.In response, India were 21 for 0 at stumps, trailing Australia by 242 at stumps on Day 1. R Ashwin (3 for 57) and Ravindra Jadeja (3 for 68) continued to haunt Australia while Mohammed Shami (4 for 60) dismissed David Warner for the second consecutive Test match and finished with a 4-wicket haul as India took the upper hand.
Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb were the standout batters for Australia, while Pat Cummins showed a lot of grit but the others in the line-up failed to put any kind of pressure on the India bowlers.
David Warner’s miseries in India continued after he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami following a half-century opening stand with Usman Khawaja. Marnus Labuschagne looked good for his 18 but he was done in by R Ashwin, who trapped the Australian No.3 on his pads and then convinced Rohit Sharma to opt for the DRS.
Steve Smith, who troubled India on Australia’s last tour here in 2016-17, fell to R Ashwin for a 2-ball duck to leave the door open for the hosts to barge in. Smith was lured by Ashwin who bowled it wider across off-stump; all Smith could manage was a faint nick which was well caught by wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
