It has been a day Australian skipper Steven Smith would have had wished for and his teammates duly jumped to the task to make it count as the visitors’ openers put 40 on board without loss at the stumps of Day One in 16 overs after left-arm spinner Nathan Lyon ripped apart the Indian batting line-up.
The opening batsmen David Warner is unbeaten on 23 off 51 balls and Matt Renshaw is batting on 15 off 47 balls when stumps were drawn.
Adding much to the delight for Australia, it was again their spinners roaring on Bengaluru wicket when ball literally spun a mile to push India on backfoot in its own backyard.
Earlier, after winning the toss Indian skipper decided to bat first, but in a similar fashion that Pune witnessed – Indian batting line-up had no answer to turn and bounce as Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon held his line well to claim his Test career’s best figures of 8 for 50 in 22.2 overs as the hosts were bundled out India for 189 inside 72 overs on Day One during the third session of the Bengaluru Test.
Interestingly, Lyon is also on a hat-trick after dismissing Rahul and fast bowler Ishant Sharma on two consecutive balls in the 72nd over of an innings.
However, it was opener KL Rahul, who had guarded the one end to score hard-fought 90 of 205 balls before falling in the trap of Lyon when his hit was caught by Matt Renshaw.
Earlier, Rahul was dropped by Peter Handscomb on 30 and Warner on 61.
Ravindra Jadeja was caught by Steven Smith on 3 off 16 balls. Ravichandran Ashwin was caught by Warner on 7 off 14 balls, wicket-keeper batsman Wriddhiman Saha could score 1 off 14 balls and Ishant Sharma was caught by Peter Handscomb as they were claimed by Lyon, who had a lion’s share for the day.
Karun Nair, who was inducted in the side after replacing Jayant Yadav was the second top scorer for India during the innings. Nair scored 26 off 39 balls when he was stumped by wade on the bowling of Steve O’Keefe, who starred for Australia with the 12-wicket haul.
The middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane, who is struggling at home, was stumped by Matthew Wade when he juggled the ball in his first attempt. Rahane was short of his ground when Wade had dislodged the bails in his second attempt to see the batsman returning to the pavilion on 17 off 42 balls.
In what could be stated as a weird dismissal was of Indian skipper Virat Kohli when he was declared LBW while offering no stroke to a straighter one on the bolwing of Lyon when the latter was batting on 12 off 17 balls.
However, Kohli who asked for the review was upheld when replays suggested the ball was hitting the wickets to see India struggling at 88 for three.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who looked settled was also dismissed by Lyon when he was caught by Handscomb on 17 off 66 balls.
Abhinav Mukund, who was making a comeback in the national side after six years came in the place of injured Murali Vijay and did not bother the scorers as he was sent back to the pavilion on nought on the bowling of fast bowler Mitchell Starc in third over of the day.
Brief Score – Day One of the second Test:
Australia 40 for no loss – David Warner (23* off 51 balls), (Matt Renshaw 15* of 47 balls)
India 189 All out – KL Rahul (90 off 205 balls), Karun Nair (26 off 39 balls)
Best Figures: Nathan Lyon 8 for 50
Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru