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India’s veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin displayed his ‘A-Game’ on Day 2 of the first Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval.
Ashwin was one of the powerful forces for India when he came to bowl during the second innings of the match. The 34-year-old bagged a 4-wicket haul as Australia were bundled out for 191.
Ashwin produced figures of 4/55 in 18 overs to register his best-ever performance on Australian soil. His previous beat was 4/105 during the Sydney Test in January 2015.
Best figures in an innings for Ashwin outside Asia:
- 7/83 vs WI at North Sound in 2016
- 5/52 vs WI at Kingston in 2016
- 4/55 vs AUS at Adelaide in 2020
- 4/62 vs ENG at Edgbaston in 2018
India gain a healthy lead of 62 runs at the end of 2nd day
For the hosts, skipper Tim Paine and middle-order batsman Marnus Labuschagne shined with the bat. Paine stood strong in front of the quality Indian bowling attack. The wicket-keeper batsman smashed unbeaten 73 off 99 deliveries with the help of 10 boundaries. Labuschagne, on the other hand, scored 47 from 119 balls.
For the visitors, apart from Ashwin, pace duo of Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah impressed with the ball. While Umesh picked three wickets, Bumrah bagged two scalps.
India ended Day 2 with 9/1 on the scoreboard, leading Australia by 62 runs.
Opener Mayank Agarwal (5 not out) was batting with nightwatchman Bumrah, who played eleven deliveries in the last three overs.
The tourists yet again lost opening batsman Prithvi Shaw (4) cheaply. He got bowled for the second time in the match.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Ashwin once again underlined the importance of variety in a bowling attack. Before Test, some were suggesting all pace attack because generally spinners struggle with pink ball. But, Ash is a class act and always ready for a challenge. #INDvAUS #INDvsAUS
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) December 18, 2020
2018 Ade Test: Ind elect to bat & make 250, looks under par. Aus lose 4 wickets before making 100 in reply, Ashwin the chief destroyer
2020 Ade Test: Ind elect to bat & make 250, looks under par. Aus lose 5 wickets before making 100 in reply, Ashwin the chief destroyer #AUSvIND
— Martin Smith (@martysmith1987) December 18, 2020
Awesome day of test cricket ! Ball dominating bat and a proper contest between bat and ball, techniques tested – love it ! Please no more flat pitches and scores of 450/500 !!!!
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) December 18, 2020
Adelaide and Australia all out for 191 reminds of 2003, though that was in the second innings.
Bowling mast ki apan logon ne.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 18, 2020
Ravi Ashwin gets the world number 1 Test batsman Smith in the first over. AshWin for a reason.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 18, 2020
Tim Paine:
Great skipper ✅
Saves the Aussies ✅
Plays #SuperCoach ✅#AUSvIND— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) December 18, 2020
Cummins & co v Kohli/Pujara on day one
Bumrah & co v Smith/Marnus day two
Test cricket 🤤 #AUSvIND
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) December 18, 2020
SUNIL GAVASKAR ON PRITHVI SHAW: ‘Prithvi has technical problems, should be dropped in the next Test’ – Sunny bhai wants Shubman to open if he opens for his state Punjab (which he does) @aajtak #IndvsAus #Adelaide @PrithviShaw @RealShubmanGill
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) December 18, 2020
India's fielding has been poor in the white ball matches and poor in the tour matches. Sometimes consistency is not a good thing. #AUSvIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) December 18, 2020
One of the big reasons why India won in 2018-19 was by keeping Australia's fast bowlers in the field with little time to rest. Two days into the series and we're seeing the same thing again. Long way to go yet. #AUSvIND
— Sam Ferris (@samuelfez) December 18, 2020
🤭 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/7mb1fAXTaI
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 18, 2020
Feel for Prithvi Shaw, he is a wonderful talent but his eagerness to power the ball, also the challenge that T20 has on one’s technique is his undoing. Most players searching for power lose balance and their hands stray away from their bodies. #AUSvIND
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) December 18, 2020
This is a staggering comeback from India against a very defensive looking Australian batting side.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 18, 2020
How good has Ashwin been , brilliant to see the master craftsman at work #AUSvIND
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) December 18, 2020
https://twitter.com/dizzy259/status/1339894843850407936
How many catches India has dropped since landing in Australia? Quite a few in the white-ball series too…. #AusvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 18, 2020
