India v Australia, 4th Test Dharamsala. 2nd day
Solid Start
In reply to Australia's first innings score of 300, Indian innings began solidly. Initially Vijay and KL Rahul left a lot of delivers in outside off stump channel before Vijay nicked behind one from Josh Hazlewood.
But Pujara and KL Rahul buckled down to lay a strong platform. Tight bowling from Australia meant that runs were hard to buy. In morning session Pat Cummins gave 22 runs while Hazlewood conceded only 16 runs with India 63/1.
Pujara-Rahane steadies India's ship
After lunch, KL Rahul who was dropped by Renshaw on 10, played his shots and soon reached his 5th 50 of this test series but again failed to carry on. After few verbals from Pat Cummins, Rahul was enticed into playing hook shot which ended in lap of David Warner standing on mid off.
Against fiery Pat Cummins stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane had few nervy moments. Though gritty Pujara took maximum strike to protect his out of form partner. It appeared as if Pujara was batting on other strip unfazed by seam movement or bouncers of Cummins and Hazlewood.
Nathan Lyon ran riot
After negating Australian spinners for major part of his innings, Pujara finally misread a ball off Lyon and was caught at short leg by Peter Handscomb. 4 overs latter Karun Nair was dismissed in same fashion.
Then Ajinkya Rahane and R Ashwin accumulated quick fire 48 runs. Just when it looked Indian score was moving towards parity, Nathan Lyon got one to hang up outside off which Rahane nicked to Steven Smith, stationed at first slip. R Ashwin soon followed Rahane as he was given out LBW.
Towards the end of days play, Jadeja smashed two sixes and Matt Renshaw misjudged another catch, this time of Saha. At stumps on day-2, India are still 52 runs behind.
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