WTC Final, IND vs AUS: From Siraj's 4-wicket haul to Indian top order's poor show - Talking points of Day 2
Australia lose their way as India fights Back in WTC Final; Steve Smith's century and Mohammad Siraj's 4 wicket haul were the highlights of an entertaining day of Test Cricket at the Oval
FollowPlay resumed on Day two of the WTC Final between India and Australia, It was an entertaining day of Test cricket. Despite Australia's impressive total of 327 runs for the loss of three wickets on Day 1, they struggled on the 8th of June and lost 7 wickets for 142 runs.Â
The day began with an exciting display of skill as Steve Smith quickly reached his 31st Test century. Travis Head also played superbly, converting his century into a valuable 150 for the Aussies. Mohammed Siraj bowled a lot of short balls and troubled the well-set Head, eventually leading to his dismissal when he gloved one to KS Bharat.
Mohammad Shami soon joined the party and managed to dismiss Cameron Green, resulting in a nicked catch. Despite these breakthroughs, Steve Smith remained steadfast at one end until he chopped a delivery from Shardul Thakur back onto his stumps. Mitchell Starc's dismissal followed, as he was run out by substitute fielder Axar Patel's exceptional effort. As a result, the Australian team ended the day with a score of 402-7.
A frustrating 51-run partnership tested the Indian bowlers, led by Alex Carey, who scored 48 runs (69) before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja, who was introduced late into the attack by the Indian captain. The tailenders added some additional runs before Mohammed Siraj cleaned up the tail, ending Australia's first innings with a total of 469 runs.
In India's second innings, Rohit Sharma provided an early delight for the fans with a controlled pull shot off Mitchell Starc that reached the boundary. However, Pat Cummins struck soon after, trapping the Indian skipper leg before wicket. Scott Boland then delivered an excellent delivery that deceived Shubman Gill, hitting the middle and off stump. Suddenly, India found themselves on the back foot, with a score of 71-4.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, India's no. 3 and 4 batsmen, successfully defended against the Australian bowlers until Tea. However, they both departed early in the third session. Green dismissed Pujara, while Kohli fell victim to Starc's well-generated steep bounce from a good length.
At 71-4, Australia had the advantage, and India faced a challenging situation. Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane came together and gradually built the innings, adding 71 runs. Their partnership appeared valuable for India, but Nathan Lyon, the formidable Australian spinner managed to fox Jadeja just before Stumps.Â
