Ind vs Aus 1st Test Day 2 – Wriddhiman Saha’s biggest test: All eyes will be on Wriddhiman Saha when India resume the second-day play against Australia at Adelaide on Friday. India had picked Saha over incumbent Rishabh Pant purely on the wicket-keeping skills. And while, his skillset with gloves are yet to be tested, the visitors would be hoping for a mature knock to go past 300-mark.
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At stumps, India were 233/6, with Saha and Ashwin at the crease. With the majority of the first day being dominated by Australia, the visitors had a ray of hope with a brilliant 88-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. But the latter’s bad call for a quick single, led to the Indian skipper getting run out.
With the new ball introduced after the 80th over, India were once again seen struggling. The second new ball offers some movement in, and Rahane’s feet went nowhere in countering it. He was struck plumb in front and walks off before being forced to take a review by Vihari, but to no avail. The Indian vice-captain was dismissed for 42 as India slip further behind.
Ind vs Aus 1st Test Day 2: India is targeting 300-mark
India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara feels if Indian tailenders bat well, team can still reach target of 300-350 on Day 2.
“We still have a very good chance of getting close to 275, 300 and if we bat well you never know we can hit 350 also. Yes, I mean there was a stage when we were in a dominating position but after losing Virat and Ajinkya, Australia have a little bit of advantage. But we still are evenly placed in the contest,” he added
According to Pujara, wickets of skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the final hour of the opening day of the pink-ball Test has given the Australians an advantage.
Kohli was leading India from the front before a silly misunderstanding between him and deputy Rahane ended his stint at the crease as the former was run out. Minutes later, Mitchell Starc struck in the very first over with the second new ball, trapping Rahane in front as India lost the fifth wicket before putting 200 runs on the board. Pujara, who scored 43 runs in the first innings, feels the ball was in India’s court until Kohli and Rahane’s dismissals. The right-handed batsman, however, asserted the visitors still have a good chance of scoring 300 or even 350 provided the remaining batsmen contribute.