Brisbane: After bowling India out for 408, Australia once again would now look to put India under pressure by dominating the day further with the bat.
Smith will be the key on third day's morning but weather conditions would certainly play their role. There is a warning of severe storm later in the day which might have its effect on the start of tomorrow's play.
Indian bowlers were not upto the mark, though they dominated the third session.
Chris Rogers who is struggling with his form played an innings of 55 runs in 79 balls while Warner, Watson and Shaun Marsh only played small cameos.
The two Indian bowlers who Ashwin and Umesh Yadav who were ignored in Adelaide test shared the 4 wickets together. Ishant Sharma who was the most successful bowler in first test is now punished by Steven Smith and co.
Ashwin's choice for the match has turned out to be positive in place Karn Sharma. He has kept the run-rate under control.
Indians are still in ahead in the match as Australia trails by 187 runs.
The umpires have call off the stumps for the day as the curators covers the pitch in fear of rain.
Australia 221/4 after 52 overs
Steven Smith 65 (88), Mitchell Marsh 7 (22)
Ashwin and Yadav bowled two tight overs before the light started fading and umpire stopped the play due to bad light.
Australia 218/4 after 50 overs
Steven Smith 63 (84), Mitchell Marsh 6 (14)
Rahane will be a relieved man. Ashwin made amends for Rahane's mistake, taking a good overhead catch at slip to end Shaun Marsh's innings. The run rate is still well above 4 runs per over. Mitch Marsh got off the mark with a boundary to third man while playing for turn. This is probably the last batting for Australia and it will be a bonus if India managed to get 2 more in the remaining 40 minutes of play.
Marsh goes and Marsh comes....Mitchell Marsh comes in at no. 6
Australia 208/4
Shaun Marsh c Ashwin b Yadav 32
OUT! This time Marsh is caught! Big outside edge and straight to Ashwin. That was a lightening fast catch by Ashwin who stood tall at slips.
A display board here at Gabba warns about the severe storm later in the day.
Australia 199/3 after 45 overs
Steven Smith 51 (71), Shaun Marsh 32 (67)
India have to be a bit smarter about controlling the runs. Australian batsmen are comfortable on the crease and Indian do not want that to happen. Boundaries are coming in every over. Steven Smith played a captain's knock to bring up his 10th half century. He becomes the second Aussie batsman after Greg Chappell to score 50 on captaincy debut. Marsh on other end is compliment well to his skipper. Rahane dropped a dolly catch of Shaun Marsh who mistimes his shot and hits in the air. That should have been taken by Rahane!
Couple of wickets more can really put Australia under more pressure.
Australia 181/3 after 40 overs
Steven Smith 39 (58), Shaun Marsh 26 (50)
Ishant Sharma had yet again been expensive as Shaun Marsh scored two conscutive boundaries in 37th over. These two are slowly building up a partnership. Ashwin has settled into a nice rhythm, he's bowling a nice pace. Although he was hit by Smith for the first SIX of the Australian innings followed by another six and a boundary. It's important to keep the pressure from both ends, not just one. But the fast bowlers have not really troubled the batsmen.
Australia 148/3 after 35 overs
Steven Smith 22 (45), Shaun Marsh 11 (32)
Both Smith and Shaun Marsh are batting cauitously after losing their top order. Risky singles are avoided while poor deliveries are being hit for runs. Ashwin is keeping it tight for the batters to score. Maximum deliveries bowled to them are outside off which are mostly paddled away for singles or are just left.
Australia 138/3 after 30 overs
Steven Smith 16 (32), Shaun Marsh 7 (16)
Things are under control by the bowlers. However Marsh and Smith still managed to pull out a boundary each off Ashwin's over. The scoring rate also has come down to 4.5 runs per over which was well above before 10 overs. The two batsmen on the crease need to develop a partnership from here.
Umesh Yadav will bowl the last delivery of his over.
After Rogers' dimissal Shaun Marsh arrived at the crease as no. 5 for Australia and has the strike as well.
With the things slightly under control by the Indian bowlers this session is going to be crucial for both the sides. Australia are on the backfoot and bowlers would like to make the most out of it. If they manage to pull out another 3 or 4 wickets before the stumps the chances of India would be really high.
The weather is a bit cloudy and there is forecast of light shower later in the day.
The third session of the day 2 is about to get underway.
-------------------------------------------
With the top three back in the pavilion, India will look to capitalise on the advantage. Currently, the Australian captain Smith is at the crease and he will look to build partnerships with the middle order.
India will be the happier side going into tea. They managed to pick the wicket of the set batsman Rogers just before the interval. Australia started off brightly with Warner at his usual best, scoring quick runs at the start. Warner's downfall came off a delivery that wasn't so good, but he was a little too early into the shot and paid the price for it. After that, Watson and Rogers stabilised the innings for sometime before Watson mistimed a shot and hit one straight to Dhawan at mid-on.
TEA BREAK
Chris Rogers stuggling with his form brings up his 6th test half century in style with a well timed bounday off Ashwin towards third man after hitting Aaron for two back to back fours. However Umesh Yadav strikes at the stroke of Tea to dismiss him and get India another major breakthrough.
Australia 121/3 after 24.5 overs
Steven Smith 6(17)
Chris Rogers c Dhoni b Yadav 55
OUT! Umesh Yadav strikes just before tea! The big man Rogers tried to tuck the ball on the leg side but struck on gloves and straight to Dhoni who takes the catch. Umpire called for Tea break.
Australia 98/2 after 20 overs
Rogers 39 (65), Smith 0 (2)
Australia have managed to keep their run rate hovering around 5 runs per over. A boundary in almost every over is putting the bowlers under pressure. Bowlers are not pitching the ball in right areas however Varun Aaron managed to beat Rogers with pace and swing on couple of occasions. Ashwin introduced as 4th bowler dismissed Watson for the second major breakthrough for India in a wicket maiden over bowled.
Steven Smith comes in at no. 4
Australia 98/2
Shane Watson c Dhawan b Watson 25
OUT! Ashwin strikes! It was full and Watson tried to loft it over mid-on but it went straight to Shikhar Dhawan who takes a stunner twirls is moustache in joy.
Australia 75/1 after 15 overs
Rogers 25 (48), Watson 17 (17)
Rogers is falling behind again. He is in a slightly defensive mode after Warner's dismissal. Watson continues to hammer the bowlers but he survived two chances in 14th over by Ishant. He got an outside edge but fell short of Dhawan at third slip after umpire Gould turned down the lbw appeal against him. Umesh Yadav bowled the fastest ball of the match at 147.8 kph which is faster than that of Johnson.
Australia 51/1 after 10 overs
Rogers 16 (28), Watson 4(6)
After a promising start by the openers David Warner was caught by Ashwin after mistiming a shot. He scored a quickfire 29 off 28 balls and Rogers is looking good as well. But the runs are coming for Australians as the run rate is still above 5 runs per over. Varun Aaron bowled couple of good bouncers of which Watson had no clues but had been unlucky when Watson got an edge and went over the slips for four.
Shane Watson is in at no. 3
Australia 47/1
David Warner c Ashwin b Yadav 29
OUT! Umesh Yadav strikes. Slightly short and mistimed by Warner. It went in the air over the keeper and taken by Ashwin. Big breakthrough for India.
Indians had the problem with the new ball and was changed after it gone out of shape.
Australia 27/0 after 5 overs
Rogers 4 (14), Warner 21 (18)
Not a desired start India wanted. Ishant Shama had been too expensive with the new ball. He had already leaked 26 runs in 3 overs while Varun Aaron on the other end conceded just one. Rogers and Warner gave a flying start to Australia, targeting Ishant on the off side.
Rogers take the strike and Ishant Sharma to start the proceedings
Players are back on the field. Indians are in a huddle while Australian openers Chris Rogers and David Warner are walking upto the middle.
Second session will be underway soon. However there are some chances of rain showers later in the afternoon.
--------------------------------
The second session is going to be crucial as Indian bowlers now has the responsibility to raise the challenge.
Haddin's six dismissals equaled the Australian record held by Wally Grout, Rod Marsh and Ian Healy.
Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc have not been in their best. Lyon and Watson later wrapped up the tail.
Dhoni and Ashwin got together and put on a 50 plus stand where the latter stood out with some delightful strokes enough to get the total past 400.
It was the session dominated by Australian bowlers particularly Josh Hazlewood who continued his good show on Day 2 and picked up 3 crucial wickets of Rahane, Dhoni and Ashwin to complete his five-wicket haul on test debut. His hard waork has paid off!
Only 97 runs scored in 26.4 overs bowled and India lost all their remaining six wickets.
It is the 4th highest first innings total by any visiting team at Gabba.
Australia bowled India out for 408...the test cap no. of Late Phillip Hughes.
India 408 all out in 109.4 overs
There's nothing much to expect from the tailenders as they failed yet again but Umesh Yadav struck two beautiful boundaries and showed his batting skills to get the Indian total past 400. He and Varun Aaron were dimissed quickly in the span of just 1 run and India were bowled out for 408 in the first innings. The umpires called for Lunch on Day 1.
Umesh Yadav c Rogers b Lyon 9
OUT! Umesh Yadav goes big but taken by Chris Rogers at deep midwicket. And that's lunch on day 1.
Ishant Sharma is the last man in
India 407/9
Varun Aaron c (sub) Marnus b Lyon 4
OUT! Aaron defended and but the ball went in the air and well taken by the substitute Marnus Labuschagne at short leg.
India 394/8 after 105 overs
Yadav 0 (3), Aaron 0 (4)
Hazlewood is having a promising test debut picking up a 5-wicket haul in his first test match. He dimissed well set Ashwin and Dhoni in quick succession putting India on the backfoot. The target of 500 runs looks far away with tailenders batting. Aaron was almost out but the ball just fell short off Shaun Marsh at third slip. Umesh Yadav can bat a bit and if he stays India might get upto 450.
Varun Aaron is the no. 10 batsman in for India
India 394/8
MS Dhoni c Haddin b Hazlewood 33
OUT! 5-wicket haul on test debut. Anothe edge and another set batsmen departed. Dhoni gets the edge and Haddin takes 6th catch of the innings.
Indian tailenders are now set to bat as Umesh Yadav comes in at no. 9.
India 385/7
Ravichandran Ashwin c Watson b Hazlewood 35
OUT! Hazlewood gets his fourth and another edge for Indian batsman. Ashwin gets a thick outside edge and Watson made no mistake at first slip. A good and steady partnership ended.
India 374/6 after 100 overs
Dhoni 23 (38), Ashwin 25 (33)
Dhoni and Ashwin are looking in good touch. Both scored two back to back boundaries off Mitchell Starc and had a steady 46 run partnership. Ashwin is striking the ball hard and dealing in singles with Dhoni. If Ashwin had played in the first test, the result might be different. He looks in no discomfort playing short deliveries, full lengths with perfect timing. The way he bats, Ashwin should now be called as a batting all-rounder.
India 348/6 after 95 overs
Dhoni 17 (27), Ashwin 7 (14)
Two quick strikes early this morning. After Rahane it was Rohit who was dimissed yet again after playing poor shot to slips. Now with Ashwin coming in to bat and joins Dhoni, the last batting pair of India is out in the middle. Runs are not coming but both are making good use of poor deliveries and hitting them for boundaries. Dhoni has his weakness of the deliveries outside off and is still struggling with the same.
Ravichandran Ashwin walks in to bat. He has to make the most out of this opportunity.
India 328/6
Rohit Sharma c Smith b Watson 32
OUT! Another set batsmen is out! Rohit gets an edge and this time Steven Smith takes a good diving catch at slips. That was again a poor shot played by him. Watson is delighted.
India 324/5 after 90 overs
Rohit 32 (53), Dhoni 1 (13)
Australia struck a crucial wicket of Ajinkya Rahane early this morning with a beautiful delivery bowled by Hazlewood after he was hit for a boundary. Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are now playing it safe with only 7 runs scored in last 5 overs. Bowlers are enjoying bowling here as they are getting good bounce making the batsmen uncomfortable. Dhoni has taken the blow on his left bicep for 3 runs. It is usually called as leg bye but the umpire signalled it as a dead ball. Dhoni had bit of chat with umpire.
skipper MS Dhoni comes in to bat at no. 7
India 321/5
Ajinkya Rahane c Haddin b Hazlewood 81
OUT! Hazlewood has struck again! Outside edge for Rahane and Haddin takes his 5th catch. Big breakthrough for Australia in the morning.
India 317/4 after 85 overs
Rahane 77 (128) , Rohit 30 (40)
Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood started the proceedings for Australia this morning. The pitch is still lively and both the bowlers are getting good bounce. There was a appeal by the keeper for caught behind but it was the bat struck ground. Mitch was not interested at all. But the hot spot suggests that there was a little nick from the bottom of the bat. Rohit hit the first boundary of the day off Johnson past gully.
Rahane takes the guard and Josh Hazlewood to start the proceedings.
Australian players are in the ground. Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on 26 and 75 respectively are walking upto the middle.
The morning session of Day 2 is set to begin.
Will the heat play its part again today? Yesterday every player was seen struggling with the heat. Rahane was having a cold towel around his neck.
Injuy setback for Australians...Mitchell Marsh won't bowl further in the test due to hamstring injury.
With the two unbeaten batsmen, Dhoni and Ashwin yet to bat, it would be interesting to see what is the total that India targets after they start the day at the overnight score of 311/4. Or will the lower order collapse again?
Rohit played cautiously not like first test where he threw his wicket playing an irresponsible shot.
Steven Smith's first day as a captain didn't went according to the plans. With the unbeaten partnership of 50, Rahane and Rohit would look to start Day 2 with the same positive mindset they had yesterday.
Batting first on the green and pacy track, it was a good toss to win by Dhoni. Vijay assaulted the Aussie bowlers to become the 7th Indian opener to score century in Australia.
Murali Vijay led India on Day of the second test and thereafter Rahane with Rohit Sharma gets in the show as India finished strong on 311/4 at stumps.
