Australia vs India 2018/19, Second Test: Top 5 moments from Day 1

The second Test between India and Australia got underway at the newly built Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday. Before the match started, there was a lot of talk about the drop-in wicket as it seemed to be really green.

Looking at the greenness of the pitch, India played four quicks and went in without a specialist spinner only for the third time in their Test history. On the other hand, Australia showed faith in Nathan Lyon and named an unchanged XI.

Tim Paine won a tricky toss and choose to bat first. To everybody’s surprise, the ball wasn’t really doing much in the 1st session and it seemed like India’s ploy of going in with 4 quicks had backfired.

Australian openers made the Indian bowlers toil hard as they put on an opening partnership of 112. The Indian bowlers did fight back in the second session and picked up 3 quick wickets to leave Australia at 145-3.

The last session was shared as Australia ended the day on 277-6. At the moment, Australia is ahead in the game but India can definitely make a comeback tomorrow morning.

There were many moments which defined today’s play, so let’s have a look at top 5 of the lot:

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1. Maiden Test Fifty for Marcus Harris

Marcus Harris had looked good in his debut Test at Adelaide last week. He had scored two identical scores of 26 but didn’t convert them into big ones. He clearly showed in the Adelaide Test that he belonged to this level. He went a step further today as he scored his maiden 50 in Test cricket.

He looked solid and composed throughout his innings and played some delightful shots off India’s quicks. The maiden international 50 is always what a batsman tends to remember and so Harris’s maiden 50 is one of the five moments of the first day at Perth.

2. Sharp Grab by Rahane to send Marsh packing

This moment came at a really crucial time for India. Most of the bowlers were struggling and the shoulders had just started to fall as Head and Marsh were looking really good. Marsh was even dropped earlier by Pant off Vihari’s bowling while trying to cut a ball.

Fortunately for India, Marsh once again tried to cut a short ball from Vihari which bounced a tad high and got the edge of Marsh’s bat and flew to Rahane at the first slip.

Rahane once again showed why is he India’s best slip fielder when it comes to spinners. The ball was flying off Marsh’s bat but Rahane made it look easier than it was. It was an exceptional take by the vice-captain of India to get rid of a well-set Marsh.

3. Harris’ cover drive off Shami

Marcus Harris was looking solid and batting on 41. He had already scored a boundary off Shami in the 28th over of the innings.

Shami once again overpitched the fourth ball of the same over and Marcus Harris with all his elegance and class creamed it through the cover region for another boundary. It was a shot of authority and he didn’t even bother to run after playing that shot!

Harris just grew in confidence after that shot and quickly raced to his maiden 50.

4. Kohli’s takes a blinder to dismiss Handscomb

It was the second over just after Tea and Ishant Sharma was coming into ball his first ball in the session. Peter Handscomb, who was on strike, tried to steer a slightly short ball towards the third man.

As the ball was quickly going away from Virat Kohli at second slip, he threw his right hand in the air and took an absolute stunner. It was an exceptional take to see the back of Peter Handscomb who could have troubled the Indians.

5. Bumrah bowls a ripper to Paine late in the day

India had just taken the new ball and Kohli brought on Bumrah for a fresh and final spell in the day. In his first over of the spell, Bumrah produced something extraordinary.

On the 4th delivery, Bumrah landed the ball at good length which seamed off a bit and just took off from that length. It went over Pant’s leaping hand for four byes. It might have hit a crack.

Tim Paine was really confused as he kept looking at the pitch after the delivery. It was really astonishing to see the ball jump so high after pitching on a good length and it was definitely a moment not to miss.