India tightened their grip on the opening Test in Perth, closing day two with an imposing lead of 218 runs after their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, blunted Australia’s vaunted pace attack.
The pair’s unbroken partnership guided India to 172-0 at stumps, putting them in a commanding position after the hosts were earlier dismissed for just 104.
Jaiswal, unbeaten on 90 from 193 balls, was given a reprieve on 51 when Usman Khawaja spilled a catch at slip off Mitchell Starc.
KL Rahul, steady with 62 not out from 153 deliveries, provided a composed foil as the pair constructed India’s highest opening stand in Australia since 2024.
The day began with Jasprit Bumrah wasting no time in asserting India’s dominance. The stand-in captain struck with his first delivery to claim his ninth five-wicket haul outside Asia, matching Kapil Dev’s record for India.
Bumrah’s figures of 5-30 dismantled Australia, who resumed at 67-7 and managed only 37 additional runs.
Alex Carey fell early, edging Bumrah behind for 21, while Mitchell Starc top-scored with a dogged 26 from 112 balls. Starc’s resistance, alongside Josh Hazlewood’s unbeaten seven, added 25 crucial runs for the final wicket before Harshit Rana, making his debut, removed Starc to finish with impressive figures of 3-48.
With a slender 46-run lead, India’s openers faced the challenge of a new-ball assault from Starc, Pat Cummins, and Hazlewood. However, Jaiswal and Rahul weathered the storm, demonstrating immense discipline and composure.
Jaiswal played with characteristic flair, lofting a six over deep square leg to underline his dominance, while Rahul drove through the off-side with precision. A nervy moment came when a dropped catch off Jaiswal was followed by a mix-up that almost resulted in a run-out, but the duo settled quickly to frustrate the Australian bowlers further.
In an attempt to break the stand, Cummins turned to Marnus Labuschagne’s part-time leg-spin in the 25th over. Labuschagne abandoned his usual tactics, relying instead on short-pitched deliveries, but the batters remained unperturbed.
The Indian pair ended the day in complete control, leaving the Australian attack searching for answers. The stage is now set for India to build an unassailable lead, with the tourists eyeing a dominant position in the series.
