Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25: Jaiswal, Rahul’s opening partnership puts Australia on backfoot

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were opening the batting for the first time in Test cricket but watching them at work at the Optus Stadium on Saturday one wouldnrsquot necessarily have thought soSure there was the occasional breakdown in communication when it came to running between the wickets but beyond the odd hiccup they complemented each other beautifully to drive Australia to frustration on Day Two of the second TestBumrah led from the frontAfter skipper Jasprit Bumrahrsquos 11th fivewicket Test haul had given India a handsome lead of 46 despite their modest firstinnings 150 the young Mumbaikar and the more seasoned Bengalurean saw off the last four and half hours to stumps flourishing in each otherrsquos company and hauling their team to 172 without being separated India are 218 ahead with all ten secondinnings wickets standing well positioned to make a strong pitch for victory over the next three daysWhen play started on Saturday Indiarsquos first mission was to ensure that Australia didnrsquot add too many to their overnight 67 for seven Alex Carey the feisty wicketkeeperbatter loomed as the biggest stumbling block but Bumrah packed him off with his first ball of the day caught behind to earn a merited fivewicket bagAlso ReadFrom intimidation to admiration Perth crowd embraces Indian Test teamThe end appeared nigh when Harshit Rana extracted lift and inward movement to have Nathan Lyon caught off his glove but last pair Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood defied the visitors for nearly an hour and a half while adding 25 Australiarsquos highest partnership Debutant Rana finally ended Starcrsquos 127minute resistance with the hosts bowled out for 104There wasnrsquot as much help for the quicker bowlers on Saturday as 24 hours earlier but the stilltowiden cracks did make their presence felt from time to time with more than the odd ball staying down Jaiswal out attempting an expansive stroke too early in his innings on the first morning embraced discipline without becoming scoreless while Rahul relished his reinstatement at the top of the order his organised defence and meticulous footworkmdashboth of which had manifested themselves even on day onemdashstanding him in good steadAlso ReadYashasvi Rahul score halfcenturies as India take commanding 218run leadSensible battingOccasional moments of mild alarm notwithstanding Jaiswal and Rahul marched along not always consumed by the need to keep the score board ticking Occupation of the crease was the foremost objective in the knowledge that time spent in the middle would eventually reflect in the runsrsquo column By not going looking for the ball they forced Australia into straighter lines and picked off the ones and twos regularly while also punishing the loose offerings which werenrsquot numerous even though Australiarsquos disciplines deserted them to a certain degree They bowled far too short far too often but Jaiswal and Rahul werenrsquot complaining bringing up individual minimilestones and touching three figures in only their second attempt as a Test opening pair It was the third time Rahul had added at least a hundred for the first wicket outside the subcontinent each time with a different partner Rohit at Lordrsquos and Mayank Agarwal in Centurion both in 2021Brief scoresIndia 150 amp 1720 Y Jaiswal 90 KL Rahul 62 v Australia 104 M Starc 26 A Carey 21 J Bumrah 530 H Rana 348 M Siraj 220