MCG Test: Australia rack up 474; Jaiswal-Kohli stand bolsters India
What's the story
Australia maintained their dominance over India on Day 2 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
The hosts racked up 474 on the back of Steven Smith's historic century. Jasprit Bumrah took four wickets.
India lost Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul early, but Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli helped India bounce back. Australia then took three more wickets to regain impetus.
Summary
Summary of Day 2
Australia resumed their innings at their overnight score of 311/6. Smith and skipper Pat Cummins added a century-plus stand to get the hosts past 400.
Although Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Cummins, Smith powered Australia with his ton. Jadeja cleaned up Australia's tail post lunch.
In response, Rohit and Rahul departed early, but the Jaiswal-Kohli stand bolstered India. However, Australia eventually reduced India to 164/5.
Smith
Smith races to 34th Test ton
Smith ended up scoring 140 off 197 balls, a knock laced with 13 fours and 3 sixes.
He raced to his 34th Test century, equaling Mahela Jayawardene, Brian Lara, Younis Khan, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Notably, only six other batters have more Test centuries than Smith.
Among Australians, Smith is only behind Ricky Ponting, who owns 41 tons. The former recently surpassed Steve Waugh (32).
Feats
Smith breaks these records
Smith now has 11 Test tons against India, the most for a batter. He surpassed Joe Root's previous record (10).
Smith has also gone past Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar by recording the most centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He now owns 10 hundreds in this series, while Kohli and Tendulkar have nine each.
Smith also slammed his fifth Test century at the MCG.
Bumrah
Bumrah finishes with four wickets
Bumrah dismissed Nathan Lyon on Day 2 to wrap up Australia's innings. He took four wickets for 99 runs in 28.4 overs.
The right-arm seamer is now India's highest wicket-taker at the MCG in Test cricket (19). He surpassed Anil Kumble, who took 15 scalps in this regard.
His Test figures at the MCG: 6/33, 3/53, 4/56, 2/54, and 4/99.
Information
Three wickets for Jadeja
Jadeja ended up with three wicket for 78 runs in 23 overs. Jadeja gave India their first breakthrough in the form of Konstas on Day 1. He then dismissed Aussie skipper Cummins, who smashed a 63-ball 49. Mitchell Starc was Jadeja's final victim.
Start
Steady start for India
India made a cautious start, with skipper Rohit walking out to bat alongside Jaiswal.
However, Cummins dismissed the Indian skipper for 3 in his first over.
Rahul joined forces with Jaiswal thereafter, having showcased his resistance. However, Cummins knocked over Rahul (24) with a peach just before tea.
Kohli and Jaiswal held India together in the post-tea session.
Jaiswal
Unwanted run-out ends Jaiswal's incredible knock
Jaiswal gave due respect to ideal deliveries while punishing the poor ones. He played on the up against Starc, who has been dismissing the left-hander of late.
Jaiswal completed his half-century off 81 balls and upped the ante. He continued with his strokes and looked set for a century.
However, he got run-out in the 41st over, scoring 82 off 118 balls.
Kohli
Kohli departs for 36
Although Kohli received a hostile reception from the Australian crowd, his discipline while batting stood out.
Unlike his previous few innings, the Indian batter left deliveries outside the off-stump.
Kohli struck just four boundaries and relied on singles, however, Jaiswal's unfortunate run-out snapped his confidence.
Within five minutes, Kohli nicked one outside the off stump off Scot Boland. He departed for an 86-ball 36.
India
India in a spot of bother
Nevertheless, Kohli and Jaiswal added 102 runs to lift India up from 51/2 when Rahul departed.
However, India were in a spot of bother in the day's final 15 minutes, plunging from 151/2 to 159/5.
Boland dismissed nightwatchman Akash Deep for a duck to make further inroads in the Indian batting line-up. Rishabh Pant and Jadeja will resume for India on Day 3.