IND vs AUS 1st Test Day 1, Innings update: So, the Australians have been skittled out for 177 in the first innings of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, thanks to the craft of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The former was the most lethal at Nagpur, not just because he ended the innings with five wickets, but also because he took the ones that really mattered the most for the hosts. He picked up the scalps of Marnus Labuschagne (out for 49) and Steve Smith (dismissed for 37), both set batters, who, at one stage, were threatening to take the game away from India’s grasp.
For Jadeja personally, this is more than just about the five wickets. He is making a comeback at Nagpur after having been out of national team since August last year due to a right knee injury which he sustained during the Asia Cup.
There was another brief phase of resistance, where Peter Handscomb (31) and Alex Carey (36) tried to hold the fort. But Ashwin got the better of both of them.
IND vs AUS 1st Test Day 1 Tea update
It took just one session and the magic of Ravindra Jadeja for all of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith’s perseverance to unravel. The Australian duo had managed to pull the visitors back from the brink to take them into lunch at 76 for 2.
Just when Labuschagne was starting to drag Australia into a position of power, Jadeja intervened, getting him out for 49. He lured the batter into his trap, first bowling quicker ones, then a slower one inviting him to drive. Labuschagne could not resist taking the bait. Before he knew it, KS Bharat had whipped off his bails. One ball later, Matt Renshaw was walking back to the hut after Jadeja got him LBW.
He then came for the other set batter, getting Smith bowled as Australia slumped to 109 for 5 having started the session 76 for 2.
Ravichandran Ashwin, not one to be left behind, then came and scalped two wickets of his own. Australia went to the tea break at 178 for 8.
IND vs AUS 1st Test Day 1 Lunch update
After an early wobble at the start of the innings, it took the calm reassuring presence of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to help see out the first session for the visitors on Day 1 of the first Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Labuschagne was batting on 47 while Smith had made a patient 19 off 74 balls at lunch at Nagpur to help Australia reach 76 for 2.
It took just six overs for spin to be introduced on the first day of the first Test of what promises to be a mouthwatering four-Test series. Ravindra Jadeja was handed the ball on his comeback to the national team after five months of being on the sidelines to a right knee injury. In the three overs they split before that, the Indian pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami had made inroads into the Australian top order.
Siraj dismissed Usman Khawaja in the second over itself, an LBW call that was initially given not out, but was overturned by the TV umpire. One over later, Shami sent David Warner’s stump cartwheeling with a peach of a delivery. Australia slumped to 2 for 2 in the third over.
While skipper Rohit Sharma brought on Jadeja in the seventh over and Axar Patel came on in the eighth over. Ravichandran Ashwin, the man who has been a constant on Australian minds in the build-up to the series, was only introduced in the 22nd over.