Boxing Day Test. Australia v. India.

[K]

The new ball has produced more runs than wickets.

India are in a strong position now. Oz's defective batting was papered over in the First Test by India's batting collapse.

[K]

Rahane is now 96*. Can he reach the ton?

Remember he was on 73 when Smith dropped him... so Smith is now on minus 23 runs for the match and counting.

[K]

He does it. Rahane cuts Cummins for 4 to bring up a century.

Oz's last great batsman, Ricky Ponting, says Oz batsmen can learn from him. "He 100% trusts his defensive game," Ponting says.


Gavaskar says Rahane plays within his limitations.

But if Smith tried to play within his limitations, he'd have to refuse to play except on flat pitches against inferior bowlers.

[K]

Now Head joins Smith by dropping Rahane, again off Starc.

Head had to dive forward and the ball popped out as he hit the ground. Ponting talks about "Fielding 101".

I don't know how to do the negative scoring now. Do Rahane's runs now count as negative against both Smith and Head? Or does Smith now get off the hook and Head take over the burden? I reckon they count against both... We'll note that Rahane is on 104*.

[piedys]

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Joe burns is an absolute hack and a joke he always gets picked pathetic

[K]

Yes, another failure from Burns. If even wicketkeeper Wade can stay in opening, the pitch obviously must be good for batting.

Oz is now paying the price.

Ealier, Rahane was run out for 112. This means Smith will come out to bat effectively on minus 39 runs. At his SR, he'll have to bat for hundreds of balls just to break even.

India 326.
Oz 1/13, trailing by 118.

[K]

But now Umesh is injured.

Could this be the third Indian bowler to be injured this series? Imagine what Oz would score against a full Indian attack...

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Burns must be burnt

[K]

Tom Moody
@TomMoodyCricket

"Joe Burns nearly out 3 ways (edge,bowled & lbw) worst of all takes a review with him!
Warner has found his slot if fit. #AUSvIND"

https://twitter.com/TomMoodyCricket/status/1343383126295212032

[K]

Meanwhile...

There are complaints about the number of short balls Oz bowled to the Indian tail...

[K]

But Ashwin gets Marnus.

Trouble for Oz now, with or without Umesh.

FTB Smith comes in on a pair.

[K]

Smith breaks his duck with a single.

But he's still effectively on minus 30 runs for the match.


If Ashwin does not continue his domination of Smith, India can also look to Jadeja, to exploit Smith's well-known weakness against SLA bowling.

[Donny]

2/65.

Wade 27*, Smith 6*.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Hang around for once they cannot play ash win they are prodding not actually hitting the ball terrible technique and they should be sweeping those balls too it’s again hard going for the Aussies I thought the first session was all Aussies but this session was Indians time for Aussie bats to dig in play it ball by ball