Both teams shared honors on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test, but it wasn’t the case in the second day, as led by Steve Smith, Australia battered India and almost pocketed the series with atleast three more days remaining in the Test match.
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Smith was at his brutal best and toyed with the Indian bowlers on his way to the career-best score of 192. The Australian skipper could have easily completed his maiden double-ton but was dismissed by Umesh Yadav, just eight runs short.
It was not all Smith though, as Ryan Harris also fore with the bat and made scored a scorching half-century, and also his best score. Harris played like a top-order batsman and on his way to 88-ball 74, smashed eight fours and one six.
He left the bowlers bruised and hammered them all over the park and dashed any hopes of India’s revival with his scorching knock. Nathan Lyon also played a cameo, so does Mitchell Johnson, while Brad Haddin also made a half-century.
After bundling Australia for 530, India made a decent start with Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay. They put together 55 runs for the first wicket, but the partnership was broken by pacer Harris.
Vijay, meanwhile, completed his third fifty of the series and made an unbeaten 53-run partnership for the second with Cheteshwar Pujara (25 not out). India trail by 422 runs with 9 wickets remaining.
Earlier in the first session, Australia added more than hundred runs to their overnight total before lunch and never looked uneasy facing short balls. Shami and Ishant tried to rattle Haddin with short balls, but the Aussie never looked at unease and dispatched seamers at will.
Haddin, meanwhile, completed his 18th Test fifty and was racing towards a big total, when Shami provided India some relief. Shami dismissed Haddin (55) from nowhere and the touring party sensed an opening as a 110-run stand came to an end.
However, it wasn’t the case as Smith and Johnson continued to pile more runs for the hosts and put together 50 runs for seventh wicket. Johnson (28) was dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin as skipper MS Dhoni made no mistake in stumping him.
