India vs Australia, 2nd Test LIVE Score: Labuschagne & Head hold ground against dominant Indian bowling

IND vs AUS 2nd Test LIVE SCORE: Lunch on Day 1 and it has been an enthralling day of cricket already. Australia had won the toss and asked India to field first in Melbourne. India played two spinners and on the showing on the first morning, they might have been vindicated in their decision. Tim Paine will be concerned about losing top order early.

Burns came into the match with a gritty half-century in the second innings in Adelaide, but all that was forgotten as he bagged another duck on Boxing day, his second in succession.

Wade was positive as he took the attack to Umesh, but his positivity led to an awful shot and a clumsy dismissal against Ashwin – Jadeja ensuring that he held on despite a collision with Shubman Gill.

Ashwin had the wood over Smith in Adelaide and he got him once again, this time for a duck. Labuschagne held on at the other end, surviving one India LBW review and then reviewing another successfully just before the break.

IND vs AUS 2nd TEST LIVE Commentary and Score

8:20:

35th over: Australia 90-3 (Labuschagne 36, Head 14) 

Umesh Yadav returns to the crease. Back of a length mostly, getting Head on his toes. Squirts a couple of runs behind square. He’s done the hard work, we might see his scoring rate start to tick up now. Currently 14 from 64, Labuschagne 36 from 89.

8:04:

33rd overs: Australia 79-3 (Labuschagne 30, Head 9)

Ashwin needs to start reading the room and accordingly make his plans in the second over. He will be crucial for India to maintain pressure and not let Australians get away as the moisture seems to have gone from the surface and may make batting easire.

7:52: 29th over: Australia 67-3 (Labuschagne 27, Head 5)

Ashwin to continue with the Great Southern Stand behind him. Why not, he might bowl all day. Around the wicket to the right-hander, which is how he trapped Labuschagne before the break, only to have the third umpire loosen the snare. That did involve a poor shot from Labuschagne, a kind of stabbed sweep shot without getting low enough, and he’s a fast learner. He plays out the current over safely.

6:58: Lunch Break: Australia 65-3 (Labuschagne 26, Head 4)

25th over: Australia 54-3 (Labuschagne 19, Head 3)

If this bowling combo keeps going at this pace, India can vary of over rate for sure. Head blocks out a maiden from Ashwin.

At least India might keep up with the over rate if this bowling combo continues. Head blocks out a maiden from Ashwin.

6:45:

22nd over: Australia 48-3 (Labuschagne 14, Head 2) 

Less attacking field for Jadeja: slip, short leg, and a short cover about ten paces from the bat. Marnus hits the field with a couple of shots and can’t score.

It is @imjadeja‘s 50th Test for #TeamIndia.

He first grabbed a stunning catch and is now ready to bowl his first over! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Epfql5yyll

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 26, 2020

6:33:

18th over: Australia 40-2 (Labuschagne 8, Head 0) 

Australia have all there hopes on Marnus. The big scorer of last summer. Struggled in Adelaide, but these conditions favour batting. If he can face out Bumrah-Ashwin combination, there is something big coming in Australia’s way.

6:17: WICKET! Smith c Pujara b Ashwin 0, Australia 38-3

6:12: Steve Smith’s record in Melbourne

Steven Smith at MCG since 2014/15 — 192 & 14 vs Ind 134* & 70*

vs WI 165*

vs Pak 76 & 102*

vs Eng 85 & 7 vs NZ

6:08: WICKET!!! Wade c Jadeja b Ashwin 30(39) 

Ashwin to Wade, out Caught by Jadeja!! Well, well. That’s some crazy level of bravado here from Wade, who for some reason wants to pump Ashwin out of the attack before drinks on the first morning. Ummm. Nevertheless, he decides to do it by charging down the pitch and hoicking him downtown. But he’s nowhere close to the pitch of it, miscues it high up, and the only hope he had of surviving this brainwave was for mid-wicket and mid-on to collide into this one. Oh, and they almost did. Jadeja the mid-wicket. Gill the mid-on. But trust Jadeja to steal the fielding honours.

Almost disaster! But Jadeja held his ground and held the catch! @hcltech | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SUaRT7zQGx

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 26, 2020

6:02:

12th over: Australia 30-1 (Wade 26, Labuschagne 4) 

Wade is happy to take on Umesh the entire the day, and again drives a triple into the cover gap. Labuschagne is must more cautious against the fast bowler, facing out five balls before glancing a very wide one to fine leg for a run.

5:54: 

10th over: Australia 25-1 (Wade 22, Labuschagne 3)

Another cover drive for Wade, another three runs. Marnus pulls out the lightsabre leave for Umesh as a special treat. Wishes he didn’t choose to leave the last ball of the over though, which seams in a long way and gives him a stinger on the inner thigh.

Ten overs done, and Ashwin is about to get a bowl.

5:50: Pitch analysis after 10 overs

There is no real carry. There is a bit of seam and swing through the air. But in one word: flat.

5:44:

8th over: Australia 20-1 (Wade 19, Labuschagne 1)

Umesh to Wade, giving the ball plenty of width now, perhaps challenging Wade to take him on with the cordon stacked. Wade opts for discretion at this stage. From the fifth ball Umesh gets it to curl into Wade and smash him on the thigh pad, prompting an appeal, but even on the fun-size Wade that was hitting him too high. Still, a maiden over for Umesh.

5:34:

6th over: Australia 17-1 (Wade 16, Labuschagne 1)

Maybe it is Wade’s day. Umesh’s delivery was not even a fuller, but Wade drives on, through mid-off four a boundary.

India need to figure out something for Umesh who keeps letting the scoring pressure off every time. Wade has three conventional slips now as well as a floating slip, and a deep-set gully. Short cover, mid-on, square leg, long leg. He works it backward of square for another run.

5:30:

Some Backyard cricket on Boxing Day: WATCH

This is an epic backyard cricket setup! 👏 Have a great Boxing Day, @vermont_byc! #MadeOfPlay

Don’t forget to send in your Boxing Day backyard cricket content to go into the draw to win a VIP home ashes experience: https://t.co/FtFsjsM4ef pic.twitter.com/1Y7VIyFsjN

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) December 25, 2020

5:24: WICKET! Burns c Pant b Bumrah 0

Gone for duck!! 142.3kph. As well deserved as anything ever was. Burns poked at two, drove aimlessly at one and clearly didn’t look in. Again, another delivery in that fourth-stump channel, jagging away off the seam, something Burns should’ve looked to leave.

5:20:

3rd over: Australia 4-0 (Burns 0, Wade 4) 

Bumrah keeps Wade and Burns in check and he is doing the job nicely. Teases him outside off stump, then cuts a ball back off the seam to tenderise Wade’s thigh pad.

5:08:

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Burns 0, Wade 0)

There is some movement in pitch. Jasprit Bumrah has the job first up with the ball. He tested out Burns around off stump, very nice consistency through the first over. Keeping the Aussie on the edge.

4:56:

Two (or more) debutants in a Test for India
Last instance: Shami & Rohit vs WI Kolkata 2013/14
Away Test: Kohli, Mukund & Praveen Kumar vs WI in Kingston 2011

The moment when your dreams come true. No better stage than the Boxing Day Test to make your maiden Test appearance. @RealShubmanGill is now the proud holder of India’s Test cap 🧢 No. 297. #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/G0kdE9TgNU

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 25, 2020

He battled personal tragedy, fought adversity and is now rewarded with India’s Test 🧢 no. 298. Congratulations Mohammed Siraj. Go seize the day! #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/D48TUJ4txp

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 25, 2020

4:47: 

Key Stats:

100th Test match between Australia and India
Aus won 43
Ind won 28
Tied 1
Draw 27

4:45: 

Australia have won the toss and have opted to bat

Ajinkya Rahane: First of all it is an honour to lead my country and this bunch of guys. We dominated the first two days at Adelaide and it was just that one hour that took it away from us. We just need to focus on the moment. Really excited for Shubhman and Siraj; they have worked really hard and have great FC records. Jadeja is a quality all-rounder and adds that balance as well. We were looking to bat first as well, but we now have to be patient.

Tim Paine: We’ll bat first. Christmas was very quiet, we had half the families here. We didn’t the big buffet which was a pretty good thing (laughs). We had a good night at Adelaide, but we have spoken about the fact that series wins are more important over individual wins. Obviously David Warner has missed a game, we have great depth in our side.

04:25: Right then. We’re five minutes away from the toss. There appears to be a slight tinge of green grass on the otherwise cream-looking surface. You win, you don’t think, you just bat. BAT.

Again, 36-all-out masks over everything, but the Aussies were clearly in a spot of bother going into day three. It’s once again their batting that doesn’t seem to be clicking against the Indians. Maybe it’s this slow-low-dull drop-in strip that the MCG pitch has come to become and a Shami-less attack that could just be the tonic they need.

IND vs AUS 2nd Test LIVE Score–  https://www.insidesport.co/sport-matches/?field=entity_cricket&id=46112&widget=match_center