Ravindra Jadeja played a pivotal role with ball and bat to help Team India to take a 2-0 lead in the Border Gavaskar Test series . All the questions about Ravindra Jadeja’s match fitness have now been put to rest.

Staring at a huge target to chase, India was in a spot of bother when the visitors started day three with only one wicket down. The spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja cast their magic in the Arun Jaitely stadium in New Delhi to reduce Australia to 113. With a 1 run deficit from the first innings, India was set a target of 116 to chase on the 3^rd day afternoon, which they did in style. India took a 2-0 lead in the 4-match series in the Border Gavaskar Series.

India vs Australia, 2nd Test Highlights                                                 

India vs Australia, 2nd Test Highlights: India’s First innings batting and the rescue act of the middle, lower middle order batsman and Axar Patel.         

When India came into bat in the first innings on the second day pitch in Delhi, there was hope that the Indian batting could cross the first innings Australian score and pile on a lead of 100+. This would have meant that Australia would play a catch-up game on the turning track already showing signs of wear and tear. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, we saw a batting collapse of the Indian top order only to be rescued by the middle and lower middle order Indian batting line up. Axar Patel kept India in the hunt and ensured that the Aussies did not take a big lead in the first innings.

India vs Australia, 2nd Test Highlights: Aussies trying Bazball tactics to counter the Indian spin in the second innings, hoping to set India an unachievable target. Ravindra Jadeja works his magic!                                                                                

In the second Australian batting innings, the Australians did try to adopt a positive mindset and, in the process, saw a quick 60 odd runs at the far end of day 2.

While the Bazball approach seemed to be working and runs were coming at a quick clip, wickets were falling too. Resuming at the score of 61 for 1 on Sunday, Australia was well on course to put up a big score, but the Spin twins, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc on the Aussie batting line-up.

One reason for it was that Aussie think tank assumed that a sweep was the best solution to the Delhi 3rd inning wicket which was already showing signs of wear and tear. This strategy turned out to be futile and counter-productive. An accurate Jadeja kept a straight line and this proved very effective. Every time the batsman missed a shot, Jadeja struck gold. His 7 wickets completely changed the complexion of the game as the demons on the wicket were playing more on the Aussie minds than in reality.

 India to chase a target of 115 in the 4th innings                            

India comfortably reached the target with Rohit, Virat KS Bharat and Cheteshwar Pujara, playing his 100th Test, chipped in.

Rohit set the ball rolling with a swash-buckling innings and was very positive with his footwork. This helped India to keep the scoreboard moving and ease the tension in the dressing room. Unfortunately, Rohit Sharma’s bad call for an additional run cost him his wicket. By then, the momentum was with India. Virat, Shreyas and KS Bharat, who followed, played the script to perfection to take India home to a 2-0 lead in the 4-match Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Pat Cummins looked clueless and some of the field placing in a low scoring game was questionable.

India defeated Australia by 6 wickets in the second Test  

Brief Scorecard                                          

Australia First Innings -263

India First innings -262

Australia with 1 Run Lead

Australia Second Innings -113

India Second Innings -118/4

India Win By 6 Wickets             

Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100^th test and, like he is remembered in the Indian team played a crucial match winning innings to steer India home to Victory.

Virat Kohli became the youngest to reach 25000 Runs in International crickets.

One worry for Indian cricket is the fading form of KL Rahul and his position in the Indian eleven is now questioned  especially with an Inform Shubman Gill warming the bench to accommodate KL Rahul in the team. I think time has run out on KL Rahul. Though he has been named in the squad for the reminder of the series, the vice-captain role has been stripped from the Karnataka Batsman. This means we may not see KL Rahul in the starting eleven in the third test

While Warner looks highly unlikely for the third test, Pat Cummins also has rushed home for some family reasons as per certain source.

India’s squad for 3rd and 4th Test vs Australia:                                      

Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, S Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, R Jadeja, Mohd Shami, Mohd Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.