AP, Australia :
Star batsmen Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara mastered a placid pitch to place India in a strong position at 215-2 after Wednesday’s first day of play in the third cricket test against Australia.
Kohli was unbeaten on 47 at stumps with Pujara on 68 at Melbourne Cricket Ground and both appear well-placed to add to their tallies of hundreds this series on day two on a pitch offering precious little for the bowlers.
Australia had hoped the second new ball would bring wickets late in the day’s play. World No.1-ranked batsman Kohli had a tense moment on 47 when he appeared to edge a low catch to Tim Paine off the bowling of Mitchell Starc, but the wicketkeeper was unable to grasp the difficult chance. Middle-order batsman Travis Head said it was a tough day for the home side, especially after a late chance was grassed.
“It’s a massive morning. Momentum can change so I don’t think we’re far away,” Head said. Kohli had won the toss and chosen to bat in sunny conditions on a pitch that had a covering of grass but offered little bounce for the pace bowlers. The state of the pitch will be carefully watched over the course of the match, after last year’s Melbourne test match between Australia and England was a tame draw and the pitch was officially rated as “poor” by the International Cricket Council. The four-test series is level at one-all. India has never won a test series in Australia. Opener Mayank Agarwal scored a patient 76, the highest innings by an Indian test debutant in Australia, before gloving a short ball from Pat Cummins to Paine as tea was taken at 123-2.
Agarwal added 83 with Pujara, after the loss of Hanuma Vihari for eight at 40-1. Like Agarwal, Vihari had failed to handle a bouncer from Cummins, backing away and offering a simple catch to second slip.
It was a remarkable effort from Cummins, who claimed 2-40 from 19 overs after forcing both openers into false shots on a lifeless pitch.
