Australia dropped several catches on day 2 of the 2nd test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Melbourne but the skipper Tim Paine grabbed one to ensure that he made up for the earlier dropped catch off Shubman Gill.
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India bowled out Australia for a mere 194 runs after the Australian captain Tim Paine decided to bat first after winning the toss. Australia came into the test with an unchanged XI from the first game and they had no reasons to change the successful winning combination. After a demoralizing defeat, India were further pushed back as they cant be availing the services of their captain Virat Kohli and the experienced pacer in Mohammad Shami but they had their plans in place and managed to dismiss Australia to a below par 1st innings score.
Indian batsmen were down on confidence after getting bowled out for 36 in the 2nd innings of the first test but Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill ensured that there is nothing to panic as they stitched a 61 run partnership between them for the 2nd wicket. They were going good until Shubman Gill edged one off the bowling of Pat Cummins who was followed by Cheteshwar Pujara courtesy a brilliant one handed take by the skipper Tim Paine.
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India were in deep trouble at one stage as they were 116 for 4 still trailing by 79 runs. That was when Rishabh Pant decided to take the attack to the opposition when he scored 29 runs from 40 balls knock which eased some pressure off Ajinkya Rahane.
After the dismissal of Rishabh Pant, the stand in skipper and Ravindra Jadeja joined hands to take India to safe waters and in the process Ajinkya Rahane compiled an excellent century and helped India to take a lead of 82 runs. India are 277 for 5 at the end of day 2 with captain Ajinkya Rahane on 104 and Ravindra Jadeja on 40.
India will need these 2 batsmen to take the lead past 150 which looks highly impossible as Australians will run through the Indian lower order just like they did in the 2nd innings of the first test.
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