India vs Australia, 1st Test: Hosts lead by 144 runs
What's the story
India took charge on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test against Australia in Nagpur. Resuming from 77/1, India hammered their way to 321/7 at stumps. Skipper Rohit Sharma (120) set the tempo while Axar Patel (52*) and Ravindra Jadeja (66*) ensured a strong finish for the hosts. For Australia, debutant Todd Murphy took his maiden fifer (5/82). India lead by 144 runs.
Rohit
Rohit leads from the front
Rohit, who last scored a Test hundred in 2021, ended the long-standing wait with a clutch ton in Nagpur. Resuming from 56, Rohit played with caution as he raced to his ninth Test hundred. He struck a four off an inside-out attempt to reach the landmark. He slammed a 212-ball 120, hitting 15 fours and two sixes before Pat Cummins cleaned his stumps.
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Captains with centuries in all formats
Rohit became the fourth batter to slam tons across all formats as a skipper. He joins Pakistan's Babar Azam, Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan, and South Africa's Faf du Plessis in the elite list. Notably, Rohit owns three ODI tons and two T20I centuries as captain.
Collapse
India suffer an inexplicable collapse
Ravichandran Ashwin (23), who was promoted to number 3 on Day 1, departed in the 41st over. Cheteshwar Pujara (7) played a loose shot to throw his wicket in the 45th over while Virat Kohli (12) was dismissed in the 53rd over. Debutant Suryakumar Yadav (8) showed promise at first but joined the aforementioned, bringing India down to 168/5 in 59.1 overs.
Murphy
Murphy claims maiden Test fifer
Murphy, who dismissed KL Rahul on Day 1, ended up taking his maiden Test fifer. He trapped Ashwin out LBW. Murphy then bowled a loose delivery outside leg stump, enough to get a top edge off Pujara's willow. Kohli followed soon. Murphy bowled from around the wicket to trap debutant Srikar Bharat (8). Meanwhile, Cummins (1/74) and Lyon (1/98) took a wicket each.
Partnership
Rohit-Jadeja get India past 200
Rohit-Ashwin contributed 42 runs for the second wicket. India failed to lay any substantial partnership until Jadeja arrived. Rohit and Jadeja scored in tandem, piloting India to 226/5 at lunch. Rohit, who was dropped post-lunch, was clean-bowled by Cummins on the very next delivery. The Mumbaikar did his part, adding 61 runs with Jadeja as India took a 50-plus run lead.
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A distinguishable feat for Murphy on his debut
As per Cricbuzz, Murphy has become only the fourth Australian off-spinner to take a five-wicket haul on their Test debut. He joins Peter Taylor (6/78 vs England in 1986-87), Jason Krejza (8/215 vs India in 2008-09), and Nathan Lyon (5/34 vs Sri Lanka in 2011).
Duo
Axar and Jadeja keep the Aussies at a bay
It was a sublime show by Axar and Jadeja as India eked out a 100-plus lead. The pair have added an 81*-run stand for the eighth wicket. Jadeja, who earlier pocketed a fifer, notched his 18th half-century in Test cricket. Interestingly, he was dropped on 66* with a few balls to spare. Axar rose to the occasion, bringing up his second Test fifty.