A fired-up India grabbed three wickets, including the prize scalp of Steve Smith for a duck, to leave Australia in trouble after a gripping...
A fired-up India grabbed three wickets, including the prize scalp of Steve Smith for a duck, to leave Australia in trouble after a gripping opening session on the first day of the second Test on Saturday.
Batting after captain Tim Paine won the toss, the hosts were 65 for three at lunch in front of some 30,000 socially-distanced fans, the maximum allowed at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A stubborn Marnus Labuschagne was not out on 26 and Travis Head unbeaten on four as they fended off some top-notch bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Ravi Ashwin on a wicket offering turn and bounce.
After their horror show in the first Test at Adelaide, where they lost by eight wickets and were skittled for 36 in their second innings, India were desperate to start well in Melbourne.
And with Ajinkya Rahane captaining the side in place of Virat Kohli, who has returned home for the birth of his first child, Bumrah ensured they did just that.
With David Warner still injured, Australia went into the clash unchanged, with Joe Burns opening alongside makeshift opener Matthew Wade.
Burns hit an unbeaten 51 in Adelaide to relive some pressure after a long lean spell, but his performance Saturday will once more raise questions...
