This seemed like a Test that would be decided by one innings, and Rohit Sharma probably put in that performance on the second day in Nagpur with a remarkable century before the lower order got any benefit from it.
On day one, Murphy took his first Test wicket when he bowled and caught KL Rahul. On day two, he took the first three wickets, including Virat Kohli, who was bowled down the leg side for 12.
India were 168 for 5 and still behind Australia’s subpar total when Suryakumar Yadav’s debut innings ended with a loose drive at Nathan Lyon, allowing the ball to spin back through a big gate into off stump. However, this India team bats deep, and the lower middle order has historically played a significant role.
When Steve Smith missed a sharp but catchable chance at the second slip, Sharma had survived.
Australia took the new ball immediately after the tea break, scoring 226/5 in 80 overs, and Pat Cummins struck off the fourth ball to kick things off. Rohit Sharma, who scored his ninth century in a Test.
However, Jadeja was the only known middle-order batsman for India, who were down to 229/6 and had a small lead of 52 runs.
During the day, Steve Smith missed three catches, including one off Jadeja’s final ball of the final session.
Jadeja hit seven fours and hit his half-century off 114 balls as he and Axar Patel increased India’s lead to 100 runs and put them on track for a significant lead.
Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja’s twin fifties have brought the Men in Blue back on track. India is clearly in control of this match thanks to the duo’s 81 runs for the unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership.
Despite his five-wicket haul, Todd Murphy lacked support from the other bowlers. On Thursday, Australia captain Pat Cummins chose to bat first after winning the toss. India had been able to eliminate the visitors for 177 thanks to Jadja’s five-wicket haul.
On Day 2 of the ongoing first Test match between India and Australia at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Ravindra Jadeja broke a significant Kapil Dev record.
Friday marked the all-rounder’s comeback, making history by becoming the first Indian to score a century and five wickets in the same match on five separate occasions. Jadeja broke Kapil Dev’s record of having a fifty and a fifer in the same match by accomplishing this feat.
On Day 3, Jadeja will resume batting with Axar Patel, who also scored 52 runs unbeaten off 102 balls and hit eight fours.