India’s opening duo, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul produced an imperious display of batting to give their side a commanding 218-run lead at the close of play on Day 2 of the first Test against Australia in Perth.
At stumps, India was 172 for 0, with Jaiswal unbeaten on 90 and Rahul not out on 62, as the hosts’ bowlers toiled in the unrelenting heat. The partnership has now surpassed the first-innings total of both teams, further consolidating India’s position after an unlikely first-innings lead of 46 runs.
The day began with India in a strong position after Jasprit Bumrah’s heroics on Day 1, when his five-wicket haul skittled Australia for just 104. Having put on a stellar display with the ball, Bumrah and his fellow bowlers enjoyed a much-needed rest as Jaiswal and Rahul took complete control of the proceedings.
The duo was resolute in their approach, adopting a patient, attritional style of batting, playing the long game to nullify Australia’s seam attack. Jaiswal, in particular, showed remarkable composure, building his innings slowly. His half-century, which came off 123 balls, was his slowest in Test cricket, but his cautious start allowed him to grow in confidence. Rahul, too, played with measured determination, taking 124 balls to reach his half-century.
While Jaiswal’s style was compact and defensive, with a few delightful shots through the covers and a couple of audacious cuts, Rahul played the anchor role, allowing his younger partner to take the lead. Both batters rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking while Australia struggled to find a breakthrough.
The Australian bowlers, exhausted from a grueling opening day, lacked the same intensity. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who had combined for six wickets in India’s first innings of 150, were unable to replicate their earlier success. Despite a few flashes of aggression from Starc, whose 44 runs from 13 overs offered little threat, Australia appeared bereft of ideas. Captain Pat Cummins, in his first Test since March, also struggled to find rhythm, finishing with figures of 0 for 44.
The visitors were also handed a reprieve when Jaiswal, on 51, edged Starc to first slip, but Usman Khawaja could not hold onto a tough chance. Shortly after, Rahul was nearly run out, but both openers regrouped and continued to frustrate the Australian bowlers.
Australia’s attack was further tested by India’s debutants, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who bowled with steady control. Reddy, surprisingly included ahead of senior spinners Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin, added variety to the attack, though no breakthroughs were forthcoming before the lunch interval.
Earlier in the day, Australia had been dismissed for a paltry 104, with Bumrah finishing with 5 for 30. Australia’s collapse came after a brief resistance from the tail, led by Mitchell Starc (26 from 112 balls) and Josh Hazlewood, who added 26 for the last wicket. The pair fought bravely, though they could not prevent Australia from being dismissed in just 52.2 overs.
Bumrah, who had taken a crucial wicket with the very first ball of the day, was instrumental in Australia’s collapse. His length and swing kept the Australian batters in constant discomfort, and with debutant Rana’s sharp bounce, India was always in control. At one stage, Australia was reduced to 79 for 9, facing the possibility of their lowest-ever score against India, before the last-wicket stand.
Despite the efforts of Starc and Hazlewood, Australia was bundled out for just 104 — their fourth-lowest total against India in Test cricket, and the ninth-lowest at home since 1900.
As Day 3 looms, India is firmly in the driver’s seat, with Australia’s bowlers under immense pressure to dismiss the opening pair quickly and halt India’s progress. The match, once on the brink of an early conclusion, now appears set to stretch into a thrilling contest, with Jaiswal and Rahul showing the poise and skill to push India to a commanding position in the series opener.
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