Khawaja’s half-century, but Ashwin sent Australia on the backfoot
New Delhi. Opener Usman Khawaja scored an unbeaten half-century but Ravichandran Ashwin took two wickets to give India a comeback before lunch on the first day of the second Test against Australia here on Friday. Australia had scored 94 runs for three wickets at lunch. At that time Khawaja 50 and Travis Head were playing on one run. Ashwin sent Marnus Labushen (18) and Steve Smith (zero) to the pavilion just before lunch. Earlier, Mohammed Shami dismissed opener David Warner (15). Ashwin has so far taken two wickets for 29 runs while Shami has taken one wicket for 31 runs.
Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss for the second consecutive match and decided to bat first. Khawaja and Warner got the team off to a good start by adding 50 runs for the first wicket. Khawaja was batting with more confidence and his footwork was also good but Warner struggled. Mohammad Siraj troubled him a lot in his first spell. His ball also hit Warner’s elbow and helmet. Siraj had set the stage in a way and in such a situation, Rohit Sharma again handed the ball to Shami from the other end. Shami gave India its first breakthrough soon thereafter. His angled ball took the edge of Warner’s bat and got into the gloves of wicketkeeper Kona Bharat.
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Khawaja, however, fought back against Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin, however, gave India the second success by lbw to Labushen. Then the decision of Decision Review System (DRS) went in favor of India. After one ball, Smith also returned to the pavilion but full credit goes to wicketkeeper Bharat, who took a very good catch which was very low. India lead the four-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and 132 runs.
