IND vs AUS: Jadeja-Axar continue with run-rumble after the Rohit Sharma show
Ravi Jadeja and Axar Patel are still unbeaten on the crease (AP Photo)
The third session on Day 2 may have begun with Pat Cummins castling Rohit Sharma with a pearler; however, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel amassed an unbeaten 81-run stand for the eighth wicket stand. As a result, the Indian first-innings lead has not gone up to 144 runs but is well out of Australia's reach.
Just like the trend has been, India's lower middle-order batters bailed them out of trouble. If not for this unbeaten partnership between India's two southpaws, the home team could have bowled a dozen overs in the third innings.
Captain Cummins started off the last session with a crackerjack of a delivery that came in with the angle before swinging away at the right moment. It beat a more than well-set Rohit Sharma on the outside edge and kissed the top of the off-stump.
Rohit's exit brought KS Bharat to the crease, which lasted for 10 balls to smash a delightful sweep, but failed to pick up an arm-ball from Todd Murphy. India's debutant dismissal resulted in the Australian debutant bagging his maiden five-wicket haul.
With his 5/82, the 22-year-old tweaker bagged a couple of milestones. Murphy became the fourth Australian spinner and the ninth Australian bowler to pick up five wickets on his debut Test. He's also the only spinner after Jason Krejza to bag a fifer on debut against India.
With Jadeja (66) and Patel (52) looking unmoveable at the crease, the toiling would be much more laborious for Australia on the third day.
Talking Points
The 8th wicket partnership between Jadeja and Patel has more or less taken the game away from Australia unless the visiting batters pull some rabbit out of their hat.
Steve Smith dropped Jadeja in the last over of the day, which speaks volumes of Australia's body language in this state of the match.
The visiting seamers were bowling at ideal lengths with the second new ball even after Rohit's dismissal. Both Cummins and Scott Boland were way too full or short in the session.
Just like his bowling, the Australian captain was too defensive with his captaincy. It seemed that he wasn't sure of his fielding placements or bowling changes as he wasn't sticking with them for too long, which is a golden rule in the purest form of the game.
Brief Scores
Australia: 177-10 (63.5 overs)
Marnus Labuschagne 49 (123), Steve Smith 37 (107);
Ravindra Jadeja 5-47 (22), R Ashwin 3-42 (15.5)
India: 321-7 (114.0 overs)
Ravindra Jadeja 66* (170), Axar Patel 52* (102);
Todd Murphy 5/82 (36), Nathan Lyon 1/98 (37)
India lead by 144 runs.
 "Arjun Bhalla")