Rahane hundred puts Australia under the pump

Brief Scores: India 277/5 (Ajinkya Rahane 104*, Ravindra Jadeja 40*, Shubman Gill 45; Pat Cummins 2-71, Mitchell Starc 2-61) lead Australia 195 (Marnus Labuschagne 48; Jasprit Bumrah 4-56, R Ashwin 3-35) by 82 runs.

Ajinkya Rahane led from the front by churning out a lion-hearted ton as India finished day two on 277/5, a substantial 82 ahead of Australia's 195. The stand-in skipper stitched 50+ partnerships with Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja (41*) to wade India through what was, for the better part of the day, a daunting display of fast bowling from the hosts. His 12th Test century, coming on the back of a string of poor scores, is the tonic India so desperately needed to lift their spirits after their brush with ignominy in Adelaide. Though there's none escaping the fact that Australia's lacklustre catching proved a helping hand in his grand resurgence to form. 

An exciting passage of play was on the cards in the morning session with Australia's pace battery being at loggerheads with the contrasting methods of Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara. The very first ball of the day produced an appeal that went upstairs with Tim Paine presuming that Pujara got a feather of an edge as he left his bat out to dry against Pat Cummins. However, the third umpire found nothing conclusive to overturn the on-field call as Australia burnt a review in the process. 

After being reprieved by Marnus Labuschagne late on the opening day, Shubman Gill continued to live on the edge. While Paine couldn't grasp his French cut in spite of an airborne dive to his left, more than a couple of nicks either fell tantalizingly short of the cordon or bisected it for some streaky runs. Both Cummins and Josh Hazlewood had a spring in their step and bowled with terrific zeal but didn't have the rub of the green going their way. So menacing did he look that Paine deployed Cummins to the task for eight straight overs - his equal longest spell in Test cricket - with Mitchell Starc only being instated on the brink of Lunch.

However, interspersed between the close shaves was Gill's grace. The young prodigy didn't think twice before laying his hands on anything too full or too short. What stood out was the sheer conviction in his shot-making as no half measures were involved at any point. For all of his flair and flamboyance, the seamers missed a trick by not rectifying their pattern of sticking to a length tad shorter to what they bowled in Adelaide, beating the bat here in contrast to having registered the edges there. Meanwhile, Pujara did what he does best during the 61-run stand, holding his end firm by offering a lot more of judgement than offence. He too enjoyed a slice of luck here and there but those pliant, soft hands of his have to be given the credit nonetheless. 

India seemed on course to walk away with the honours into the lunch break when Cummins unleashed a double whammy to peg them back to square one. It was a case of a shot too many for Gill who chased a wide tempter to depart nicking behind for 46. Cummins then ceased Pujara's stonewalling effort as Paine compensated for his dropped chance by plucking an absolute blinder leaping to his right.

Rahane and Vihari then weathered the storm in an hour or so of classic attrition. Runs came down to a trickle but the duo's defiance ensured that India slowed the tempo of the game and found their feet back after the consecutive jolts. Vihari had dabbed a cute boundary off Nathan Lyon when his intent turned into greed all of a sudden and a premeditated sweep on the following delivery spelt his doom. 

Rahane then joined forces with Rishabh Pant who threw a zingy counterpunch to slam a quickfire 29. He was even lent a lease of life by Cameron Green at gully but his one-dimensional style brought his downfall soon as a slash to Starc grazed the edge. It felt as if the management had asked the southpaw to back his natural instincts and eat the deficit as quickly as possible. Pant's cameo was fun while it lasted but India would have liked it to carry on for a bit longer. 

Rahane, India's rock-strong binding glue, raised his bat for a 111-ball fifty that was a lovely blend of caution, determination, and proactivity. Tea was taken prematurely due to a drizzle with India ruling the roost, trailing by a scant six. Ravindra Jadeja and Rahane made for another potent pair, shepherding India past Australia's first-innings total and adding to their eagerness for the second new ball to be available. The new cherry caused a ruckus straightaway, but Steve Smith failed to latch on to a catch in the slips that arrived to him in a split second off the cue-end of Rahane's bat, on his personal score of 73. A couple of lusty blows along the carpet served as an immediate punishment to Australia and ushered Rahane's progression into the nineties. 

Jadeja played the perfect foil to his captain during the 81-run association, putting a prudent approach to the fore while making sure that no freebies were spared. That Australia were all over the place with the second new ball did ease matters, still, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he looked the most assured batsman on either side. Rahane carved Cummins with gusto via backward point to reach the milestone and warrant himself a mention on the MCG honours board yet again. Another opportunity to draw curtains on Rahane's vigil tumbled in Australia's basket towards the fag end of the day as Travis Head stayed true to the dropping rituals and denied his team the elusive sigh of relief on a laborious day at work.

Powered by Froala Editor