On Day 3, with Jadeja and Axar at the crease, India resumes batting with a lead of 144 runs.
In the first Test, India defeated Australia by an innings and 132 runs in three days to take a 1-0 series lead here on Saturday.
On day three of the first Test, debutant Todd Murphy took two extra wickets to earn 7/124 as Australia bowled out India for 400. With Axar Patel scoring a ferocious 84 in the first innings on a Nagpur pitch that is expected to turn more as the match progresses, the hosts held a commanding 223-run lead.
Left-handed Jadeja, who took five wickets in Australia’s first innings, only added four to his 66 overnight.
Axar, on the other hand, did not waver in his determination to force Australia out of the game. He found a capable partner in number 10, Mohammed Shami, who capitalized on a dropped catch on number six.
Before becoming Murphy’s seventh wicket, Shami struck two fours and three sixes to increase the score by 37.
In the second innings, when Australia started to bat, they just couldn’t get going. After Usman Khawaja was run out in the slips, R Ashwin took the new ball and struck in the first over.
With Usman Khawaja losing as Australia’s opener, wickets fell like nine pins. Mohammed Shami, who bowled three overs, received the new ball from Rohit Sharma. Khawaja was dismissed by Ashwin, and Jadeja followed up by trapping Labuschagne in front of him plumb. On this particular day, Ashwin took out the group of left-handed batters, leaving only Steve Smith to hold one side. Everyone bowed to Ashwin’s wit, from David Warner to Matt Renshaw to Peter Handscomb to Alex Carey. After almost two years and 21 innings, Ashwin got a fifer.
It became spin at both ends in the ninth over. Marnus Labuschagne attempted to respond by keeping a deep crease and filling his bowl. He got two drives out of it, but this strategy is risky on pitches with low bounce. Soon enough, one turned away just enough to pitch with his leg and hit off for the best lbws.
Before Ravindra Jadeja (2/34), Mohammed Shami (2/13) and Axar Patel (1/6) completed the formalities, Ashwin bowled a probing length as he ran through the Australian top order and annexed his 31st fifer in just his 10th over.
The remainder of the team did not last long as the visitors were bowled out for 91 in 32.3 overs, but Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 25 off 51.
In just three days, India defeated Australia by bowling them out for 91 in 32.3 overs in the second innings. Against India, it was their second-lowest score.