MELBOURNE: Ajinkya Rahane played a captain’s knock, a workmanlike century that steered India into a dominant position and took the sting out of Australia’s potent bowling attack in the second Test here on Sunday.
Trailing 0-1 in the four-match series, India ended the second day at 277 for five for a handy 82-run lead after bowling out Australia for 195 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
At stumps, which was brought early owing to rain, Rahane was going strong on 104 and giving him company was Ravindra Jadeja on 40, the two having added what might prove to be a game-changing 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
This was Rahane’s 12th Test hundred and his second at the iconic venue, after a fine 147 during the 2014 tour.
A day after earning rich praise for his tactical acumen while marshalling the bowlers, Rahane shone bright with the bat and was spot on with his reading of match situations during his stay in the middle.
“This knock was all about patience, more importantly when you are playing such a high quality pace attack, sometimes you get into shell and not able to score runs, and the way Ajinkya bhai played, it was such a magnificent knock to watch from outside,” Shubahman Gill said during a virtual press conference.
“How to see off those tough periods, he made it sure that he put the loose balls away.”
Rahane got a life when Steve Smith dropped him on 73 at second slip in Australia’s first over with the second new ball, the unlucky bowler being Mitchell Starc, who was taken off the attack after just two overs with the shining red cherry. (AGENCIES)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
