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Australian captain Pat Cummins made a crucial strike after Tea on Day 2 of the first Test against India in Nagpur as he removed Rohit Sharma. The right-arm speedster sent Rohit's off-stump flying to keep the visitors in the contest.
The dismissal occurred in the very first over after Tea as the 29-year-old decided to take the new ball and appeared incisive from the outset. The fourth ball of the over saw the stumps cartwheeling as Rohit missed the late movement off the seam and looked back stunned. It was also a relief for vice-captain Steve Smith, who shelled a relatively simple chance at second slip on the ball before that.
Rohit, playing his first Test in nearly 12 months, reached triple figures on his 171st delivery with a boundary off Todd Murphy. His wicket, for a well-compiled 120, also meant that the visitors broke a threatening 61-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja.
After a quiet first hour on Day 2, Murphy struck twice before Lunch, sending back Ravichandran Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara. The 22-year-old stunned the crowd by removing Virat Kohli cheaply for his fourth scalp, followed by Nathan Lyon castling Suryakumar Yadav.
Pat Cummins finds his groove after struggling on Day 1
The visiting captain had a day to forget with the ball on the opening day in Nagpur, leaking 13 runs in the first over after Australia got bowled out for 177. Unimpressed, former Australian opener Matthew Hayden criticized the quick for offering too many freebies.
As quoted by 7cricket, he stated:
"He’s bowled an absolute buffet here today Pat Cummins. A buffet of boundaries in his three overs. He’s been way too full, and very uncharacteristic of Pat, who genuinely hits a very hard length. He just owns that space. He’s been too full. He’s got to get it right, there’s no room to wiggle here, 177 is not enough for Australia."
The series forms a critical part of the World Test Championship (WTC), with India and Australia likely to lock horns in the final at The Oval in London.
