Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul. Type these two names while searching for IPL records and you’ll find them first and second on the list of fastest 50s scored. They are both modern batters blessed with an array of strokes.
However, on Saturday, Day Two of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth’s Optus Stadium, Jaiswal 90* (193 balls, 7×4, 2×6) and Rahul 62* (153balls, 4×4) showed off their defensive skills. India’s opening duo ground down a flagging Australian attack, forced to be on the field on back-to-back days, to take them to 172 for no loss in their second innings as the tourists reached a position of dominance to lead by 218 runs.
Scorecard: India vs Australia, 1st Test
It was Test cricket in retro mode as terms like intent and strike-rate were forgotten. Instead, what connoisseurs of the long format witnessed was batters willing to let go of deliveries outside off-stump and relying on defence.
That meant a run-rate of 2.5 throughout the day or sometimes even less, especially in the hour after tea where India scored 22 runs in 17 overs with Josh Hazlewood bowling beautifully again. The most uncelebrated of the hosts’ bowlers was the pick of the attack, conceding just nine runs in 10 overs, beating the bat and challenging the defence of both Jaiswal and Rahul.
The refreshingly unhurried pace of the game after a frenetic Day One where 17 wickets clattered also allowed for ex-players to entertain viewers with delectable anecdotes on the broadcast.
India were willing to take time, a commodity which is fast becoming irrelevant in Tests. Jaiswal batted 123 balls to reach fifty, the slowest of his so far short but eventful Test career. Rahul, who one felt was playing for his career before the Test started, took one ball more to get there.
They say when a batter essays the on-drive efficiently against the quick bowler, you know he is getting into good positions and seeing the ball well. Rahul had batted well for 74 balls in the first innings for his 26 before he was controversially adjudged caught behind following a DRS. The on-drive for his first boundary off Pat Cummins in the 13th over to move into double figures showed that he was seeing the ball all right.
Jaiswal too learnt from the mistake he had made in the first innings of driving loosely on the up and reigned himself and focused on rotating the strike.
Willing to meet the ball more on the back foot, especially against Mitchell Starc, he seemed to have conquered his demons against left-arm pace after averaging just 12.50 against that type of bowling, having fallen to Nandre Burger in South Africa and Starc in the first innings here. Once he got his eye in, he played the ramp against Cummins and the flick to Starc for six before stepping out to Nathan Lyon and depositing him over long on.
The only threat of the pair being separated came after tea when a mixup off the bowling of Lyon saw Rahul stranded at the non-striker’s end, but Steve Smith couldn’t score a direct hit.
With the sun baking the surface, the greenish tinge that the pitch had on Friday bore a more brownish hue, changing the character of the surface and making it more benign, especially once the Kookaburra got softer.
That was evident when Starc and Hazlewood, Australia’s last pair, added 25, the highest for any Aussie wicket, and lasted 110 balls to frustrate India.
The visitors would have been looking for a bigger lead after Jasprit Bumrah, their inspirational captain and talismanic fast bowler, struck off his first ball and the second of the day to remove Aussie ‘keeper-bat Alex Carey caught behind with a delivery that came in and seamed away.
It was difficult to wait for my debut, says Harshit Rana
