Adelaide: India lost their ace batsman Cheteshwar Pujara in the second session after he revived the innings alongside captain Virat Kohli on the opening day of the first Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
With India losing both their openers cheaply, Pujara and Kohli shared a 68-run partnersip to help the visitors reach the 100-run mark. However, just when situation seemed to be easing out for India, Pujara was caught at leg-slip by Marnus Labuschagne against spinner Nathan Lyon and went back to the dressing room after scoring 43 runs off 160 balls.
At Tea on Thursday, India had scored 107/3 after batting for 55 overs — scoring 66 runs in 30 overs in the post-Dinner session. Kohli was unbeaten on 39 while he was accompanied by vice captain Ajinkya Rahane at 2 at the break.
Earlier in the day, India didn’t have a great start to their innings after Kohli won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Prithvi Shaw, who has been picked in the playing XI despite his poor form in recent times, got out on the second delivery of the first over bowled by left-arm quick Mitchell Starc for a golden duck. Starc’s swinging delivery got the inside edge of Shaw’s bat and hit the stumps.
Pujara and Mayank Agarwal then tried to stead the ship and made sure the visitors didn’t lose any further wickets in the initial overs. Both played cautiously and scored runs rather slowly as the Australia pacers bowled on tight lines and lengths.
It was in the 19th over that Pat Cummins got the second breakthrough for the hosts as Agarwal got bowled after scoring 17 runs in the 40 deliveries he faced during his stay.
Skipper Kohli, who came in next, then took the Indian innings forward and took the team’s score to 41/2 at Dinner
Brief scores: India 41/2 (Virat Kohli 39*, Cheteshwar Pujara 43; Pat Cummins 1/12)
Ms Kalinga