India vs Australia, 1st Test Day 2 lunch update: Leading from the front, Rohit Sharma helped India assert their dominance by lunch break of Day 2 of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian skipper scored 85 runs at the end of the first session of Friday at Nagpur, his highest score in Tests against the Aussies, with his previous best being a 63 not out. Giving him company at the other end was Virat Kohli, who was batting at 12. India were 151/3. Australia took two wickets in that session, India scored 74 runs to come within 26 runs of overhauling Australia’s first session total.
When the day started, Ravichandran Ashwin got into the act as well, showing why he is a man with five centuries and 13 half centuries. But he lost his wicket for 23 runs with youngster Todd Murphy claiming his wicket too after taking KL Rahul’s scalp on Day 1. The, before India’s best player of spin, Cheteshwar Pujara could really get settled at the crease, he induced a top edge while the batter tried to sweep. Pujara was gone for seven runs, with his stint in the middle lasting just 14 balls.
Murphy was the pick of the bowlers in the first session.
At the other end, Sharma’s wicket was barely threatened during the first session, except when there was a mix-up with Kohli in the 48th over with him batting on 83. But the throw at the non-striker’s end was not on target so Sharma survived a close call.
Australia’s woes were compounded by the fact that Matt Renshaw had to been sent for scans after injuring his knee during the warm-up for Day 2.