India take early wickets as Australia battle to stay in India Test

Melbourne (AFP) – Australia clawed within 66 runs of a weakened India but lost two wickets in the middle session as Steve Smith and Matthew Wade fought to keep them in the second Test on day three Monday. 

At tea in Melbourne, they were 65 for two with Wade not out 27 and Smith on 20 as India strive to level the series after losing the first Test in Adelaide by eight wickets.

They are facing a depleted attack after Umesh Yadav pulled up in his fourth over holding his left calf, before limping off. It was a big setback for India, who were already missing injured regulars Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.

The visitors were all out for 326 on the stroke of lunch, adding just 49 to their overnight first innings 277 for five in reply to Australia’s 195.

It gave them a 131-run lead, courtesy of stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s magnificent 112 and Ravindra Jadeja’s 57. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon took three wickets each.

Australia needed a top-order batsman to stand tall in the run chase, but it wasn’t opener Joe Burns who lasted just 10 balls, caught by Rishabh Pant off Yadav for four to follow his first-innings duck.

Even if David Warner fails to recover from a groin strain for the next Test in Sydney, it will be hard for selectors to again justify picking Burns.

His half-century in Adelaide was an anomaly during a season where he has struggled to make double figures. Marcus Harris is among those waiting in the wings.

Marnus Labuschagne survived an lbw review on 24 but only scored four more before being caught by Rahane off a thick edge off the spin of Ravi Ashwin.

At the other end, the usually flamboyant Wade dug in, facing 89 balls for his 27 with either him or Smith needing a big score to keep Australia in the hunt.

– Rahane run-out –

India started the day at a chilly Melbourne Cricket Ground with an 82-run advantage after seizing control on Sunday with a gutsy response to their embarrassing 36 all out in Adelaide.

But Australia quickly made inroads.

Rahane, captain in place of Virat Kohli who has returned home for the birth of his first child, rode his luck on day two, when he was dropped on 73 and 104.

But after adding eight to his overnight 104, brilliant awareness from Labuschagne saw him run out.

Jadeja, back in the team after missing the first Test injured, dabbed Nathan Lyon to point and set off for a single as he looked to bring up his 50. 

Rahane responded but wasn’t quick enough with Tim Paine whipping off the bails after Labuschagne’s throw.

It ended a 121-run partnership and one of the 32-year-old’s most important innings, having come to the crease with India in trouble at 64 for three.

Jadeja brought up his 15th Test half-century before misjudging a Starc bouncer, holing out to Pat Cummins, before Lyon and Josh Hazlewood mopped up the tail.