11:40 India fight back, Australia 87-2 at lunch on Day 2: LUNCH – DAY 2Aus 87-2 (45 ovs) vs India 189 | Scorecard
An absorbing session of Test cricket as India staged a great fightback to keep Australia in check and also pick two big wickets along the way.
Warner was bowled by Ashwin for 33 before Smith was caught by Saha off Jadeja for eight as Australia were reduced to 87 for two in 45 overs at the lunch break on Day 2.
Young left-hander Matt Renshaw battled hard to be unbeaten on a gutsy innings of 40 from 144 balls, while Shaun Marsh was not out on two.
Overall, India bowled a total of 29 overs, while just conceding just 47 runs to build up some pressure on the Australian batsmen.
All the four Indian bowlers bowled their hearts out on a wicket getting more and more difficult to bat.
India would be hoping to continue in the same vein after the lunch interval and claim a few more wickets.
Renshaw has no clue against Umesh, who continues to reverse the ball across him and continues to beat the tall left-hander.
Renshaw looks to sweep Jadeja but misses before he attempts it again and is beaten again.
Jadeja strikes in his next over with the BIG wicket of Smith, who gets an inside edge on to his pads and wicketkeeper Saha does well to lunge full length to his left and catch it on the leg side.
Smith never really got going as he scored just eight from 52 balls as India were finally rewarded for some superb bowling throughout the morning session.
Shaun Marsh gets off the mark with an easy single to long-off before Umesh sends down another maiden over, to Marsh.
Ashwin comes back, replacing Jadeja, who was taken off despite taking a wicket in his previous over.
Renshaw continues to be watchful as he defends the first three balls and then takes a single followed by two more singles off the last two balls.
Ishant comes back, to bowl the final over of the session, as Renshaw picks a single off the last ball to end the morning session.
11:05 Renshaw, Smith keep India’s bowlers at bay: Aus 78-1 (38 ovs) vs India 189 | Scorecard
Umesh getting the ball to shape in to Smith, who does well to get his bat down as the ball keeps low on a few occasions. Smith is taking the risk of playing on the backfoot but is defending well with the bat so far, infact the last ball stayed so low that Smith had to really get his bat down in time to keep it out.
Even Renshaw is playing with caution, to the merit of the ball, reading Ashwin’s variation quite well and looking to play it late.
Smith steals a quick single on the off-side off Umesh before Renshaw gets an outside edge past the slips for a four. He edges the next ball which again keeps low and goes on the bounce to the first slip fielder.
Umesh again gets the edge off the last ball which stays lows and goes off the ground past the slips for the second four of the over.
Finally, Australia manage to release some pressure with a couple of streaky boundaries to take the score to 70 for one in 33 overs.
Ashwin from round the wicket has not made the same impression or got the same amount of help to left-hander Renshaw as he was from over the wicket.
Ashwin switches to over the wicket to Renshaw, who clicks the second ball to fine leg for one.
Umesh also bowling a good spell with the ball as gets Renshaw to edge again but Virat Kohli at first slip is unable to take a low catch and also lets it go through for a four. Renshaw is all at sea against Umesh, who again gets one to go past the edge of the bat.
Finally, a break for Ashwin after a splendid spell of 10 overs in the morning session, during which he took one for eight and bowled five maiden overs.
He makes way for Ravindra Jadeja, who is picked for a single each by Smith and Renshaw as Australia reach 78 for one in 38 overs.
This is fun time out in the middle as Ishant and Smith engage in some banter. Ishant in the midst of a superb spell, complimenting Ashwin quite well from the other end.
Ishant has bowled tight and not conceded any runs from his end, allowing Ashwin to attack from the other end.
In between overs, the two captains — Smith and Kohli — had a brief chat and that could be about his exchange of words with Ishant.
Umesh Yadav comes in to replace Ishant, who bowled a superb spell in the morning session, and he also starts with a maiden to Smith.
Ashwin has a huge appeal for LBW turned down against Smith as he looks to swipe it on the leg side it but misses. The Indians decide to take the DRS after wicketkeeper Saha tells Ashwin the impact is in line.
However, the ball is clipping the outside half of leg stump which means that the decision stays with the umpire’s decision.
This is a terrific contest — the World No.1 bowler Ashwin against the World No. 1 batsman Smith and it is certainly living up to the hype.
At the drinks break, Australia have reached 61 for one in 30 overs, having scored just 21 runs in 15 overs in the first hour.
Renshaw has absorbed the pressure quite well to score 20 from 90 balls, while Smith is looking quite edgy on four.
10:16 Ashwin dismisses Warner, Australia lose 1st wicket: Aus 58-1 (26 ovs) vs India 189 | Scorecard
Ishant keeping it wide outside the off-stump to Steve Smith, who leaves it alone in an exaggerated fashion that reminds commentator Sanjay Manjrekar of former West Indies great Courtney Walsh.
The fifth ball comes in sharply, striking Smith on the pads as the umpire turns down the LBW appeal. The Indians think about the DRS but captain Kohli rightly tells his bowler that the impact was high on the pads and they decide against it.
Ashwin switches to round the wicket as Renshaw watchfully defends another good over from the India off-spinner.
India have managed to dry up the runs and build some pressure. It remains to be seen if Smith is content to play with caution or take a few risks and release the pressure.
Smith shuffling across a long way to Ishant, who has come a bit closer to the stumps. The Australia captain taps one on the off-side and takes a quick single as Mukund at point is slow to get to the ball.
Renshaw is lucky as he offers no shot but unlike Warner the big turning delivery from Ashwin just go over his stumps. That was as lucky as it gets.
Renshaw and Smith then pick three singles off the last three deliveries off Ashwin as Australia reach 58 for one in 26 overs.
Matt Renshaw turns Ishant on the leg side for a single for his first runs on Day 2. Ishant bowls another poor delivery, short and wide, which Warner crashes through the off-side for another boundary.
An angry Ishant responds with a quick bouncer as Warner standing well outside his crease somehow manages to duck under it.
Ashwin has started off well quite here. Renshaw looks to defend but gets an inside edge which goes off his pads but goes over the short leg fielder before the left-hander manages to see off the rest of the over.
Ashwin finally strikes in his next over as he bowls an unplayable delivery to dismiss the dangerous Warner. It pitched well outside the leg stump, opening up Warner who looked to defend but missed it completely and was bowled for 33.
Steve Smith chips down the track and a misfield gets him a single to get him off the mark. Renshaw taking a big stride to reach the pitch of the ball and nullify the spin.
Ishant Sharma to open the bowling for India on Day 2 and facing him is the dangerous David Warner.
The first ball is a freebie as Ishant bowls it way down the leg side and all Warner has to do is to glance it fine for a boundary to help Australia make a confident start.
Warner standing a few steps outside his crease as he defends the next two balls before he drives the fourth ball to deep point for one.
Ravichandran Ashwin from the other end and he starts from over the wicket. He is looking to land in the same areas where Nathan Lyon did on Day 1 and he seems to get some turn and bounce. He gets one to turn sharply, going past the edge of Warner’s bat to beat him but the appeal for caught behind is turned down.
09:12 Desperate India eye early wickets on Day 2: Aus 40-0 (15 ovs) vs India 189 | Scorecard
Welcome to the coverage of Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
It’s a do-or-die morning session for the Indians, who would be keen to claim a few early wickets and try to make a comeback in the match. On the other hand, if Australia manage to see off the morning session without much damage it could set them on their way to a huge first innings score.
Day 1 belonged to off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who decimated world’s top-ranked team India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to claim eight for 50, the best figures by an overseas bowler in India.
That helped Australia bundle out India for 189 and put the touring side in a strong position to dictate terms in the second match of the four-Test series.
KL Rahul was the only Indian batsman to get a grip of the conditions as he played a splendid innings of 90.
In reply, openers David Warner and Matt Renshaw were unbeaten on 23 and 15 respectively to guide Australia to 40 for no loss at stumps.
Source: Rediff