Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance with the new ball coupled with the help of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who cast a spin web utilising moisture from the pitch, India bundled Australia out for less than 200.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat in the 2nd Boxing Day Test at Melbourne before India restricted Australia to 195 in 72.3 overs. Tim Paine-led Australia would not be very happy about the fact that India bowled the hosts for their lowest-ever score on Boxing Day after electing to bat first.
Jasprit Bumrah Picks 4 Wickets And Ravichandran Ashwin Dismissed Steve Smith Again To Pick 3 Wickets
Jasprit Bumrah finished with bowling figures of 4-56 and took the key wickets of opener Joe Burns, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.
He was ably supported by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who once again dismissed nemesis, Steve Smith, without scoring with a beautiful delivery before going on to take the wickets of opener Matthew Wade and skipper Tim Paine to finish with bowling figures of 3-35.
The moister on the wicket at Melbourne supported spin as a stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane brought Ravichandran Ashwin as 1st change bowler and the spinner was rewarded for his performance yet again. He is now the leading wicket-taker with 8 wickets while Jasprit Bumrah has now 6 wickets to add to his collection in the Test series.
Mohammed Siraj Shines On Debut Picking 2 Wickets
Debutant Mohammed Siraj also had a successful day as he finished with figures of 2-40. He dismissed Marnus Labuschagne to get his maiden Test wicket and followed it up with the wicket of Cameron Green. Australia’s previous lowest in a Boxing Day Test after batting first was 198 all-out against the West Indies in 1981.
In reply, India lost Mayank Agarwal early without scoring but another debutant opener Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 28 and Cheteshwar Pujara scored seven not out to see India end 1st day’s play without further hiccups.
Australia’s highest scorer was Marnus Labuschagne again scoring 48 while Travis Head scored 38 and opener Matthew Wade scored 30. Ravindra Jadeja took 1 wicket apart from Jasprit Bumrah’s 4, Ravichandran Ashwin’s 3 and debutant Mohammed Siraj’s 2 scalps.