BGT, Perth Test, Day 2: Australia all out on 104 as captain Bumrah completes five-for

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood frustrated India with a 25-run stand for the final wicket but failed to prevent them from taking the lead, as the visitors wrapped Australia on 104 in their first innings in Perth. Leading by 46 runs, India will resume batting after lunch, aiming to pile up runs and march towards a win in the BGT opener at the Optus Stadium. For India, the skipper for this game, Jasprit Bumrah, picked a five-wicket haul.

India began day two with a bumper wicket of Alex Carey, Australia’s last recognised batter, with Bumrah completing another five-for Down Under.

With Australia reeling at 70 for eight at one stage, they looked like folding inside the next two-three overs. However, what followed later frustrated the Indians and put the hosts back in the game after a horror first-day show.

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Mitchell Starc, alongside Nathan Lyon, put on a nine-run stand before Harshit Rana’s fiery bouncer caught Lyon off guard, as he departed on five off 16 balls. With the Aussies 79 for nine, almost 70 runs behind India’s first-inning total of 150, the last pair restored some pride for the Oz. 

Hazlewood and Starc took some blows, escaped countless close chances, yet stood tall in the middle for close to an hour, playing over 100 balls. Though they managed just 25 runs, crossing a hundred on this wicket gave them the psychological satisfaction of staying alive in the game. 

The Indian bowlers kept bowling short, with Starc playing cautiously and opting against attacking everything thrown at him. He, however, ran out of gas just at the stroke of lunch as he pulled a bouncer off Rana, only to get caught by Rishabh Pant on 26.

India to resume batting after lunch

India will resume their second innings on day two of the first BGT Test in Perth, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal facing the new ball. Unlike how it unfolded in the first innings, the Indian batters will try and apply themselves better this time, aiming to pile up on the lead and give a daunting target to the Aussies. 

Meanwhile, considering the WTC Final spot on the line, India must beat Australia by 4-0 or better in this series to confirm direct qualification; otherwise, they will have to rely on other teams’ results to enter the summit clash for the third straight time. 

(With inputs from agencies)