Written by 
India are currently pushing ahead in the first Test against Australia in Perth, after Australia fought back in the morning session to be all out for 104, but sit within striking distance on India’s 150 in the first innings.
It came after two quick wickets of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon this morning, with the visitors threatening to have the hosts out for under 100.
However, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood navigated India’s bowling attack, putting together the best partnership of the innings to get Australia over the century mark and cut the margin to 46, with Starc out just shy of lunch to see Australia post 104.
In reply, YB Jaiswal and KL Rahul have hit the ground running in the second innings.
Starc trolled as Aussies unable to find breakthrough
On a morning where Australia needed some stability, the early loss of Alex Carey was an unwelcome start to the day for the hosts. Josh Hazlewood then combined well to Starc to at least chip away at India’s 150 and Starc had an amusing interaction with Harshit Rana after the quick was hit on the gloves.
“I bowl faster than you,” a jovial Starc quipped, drawing an amused reaction from his Indian counterpart.
After Australia were bowled out for a measly 104, the tourists made a strong start to their second innings with no loss and were firmly on top as day two wore on in the west. In need of a breakthrough but toiling away to no avail, opener Jaiswal amusingly chirped Starc, saying “it’s coming too slow”, in a reference to the earlier comment.
Indian captain earning admirers for more than one reason
Jasprit Bumrah tore through the Aussies on day one with a five-wicket haul but the talented fast bowler is also being recognised for an unexpected reason.
“Great bowler, even greater booty,” Bumrah’s partner, sports broadcaster Sanjana Ganesan, wrote on her Instagram story after the Indian captain led from the front as the Australian top order crumbled in Perth.
Fox Cricket pundit Mark Waugh shared her sentiment.
“He’s got a solid backside, hasn’t he?” Waugh quipped.
“A bit like Fred Trueman, you remember Fred Trueman?” English legend Michael Vaughan said. “He had a big batty.”
“That’s where the power comes from,” Waugh added.
Jasprit Bumrah cleaned up the Aussie tale after some resistance (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Short Test match threatens tilt at crowd record
Conditions look stunning in Perth this weekend and with a five-match Test series against one of Australia’s greatest rivals, many expected crowd numbers to grow after the opening day at Optus Stadium, with over 24,000 turning out at the start of play during yesterday’s play.
Numbers built throughout the day to over 30,000, breaking a Test match attendance record at the stadium in a single day.
While numbers on day two decreased significantly, 25,000 have currently turned out at the start of the afternoon session.
While it is likely that numbers will grow similarly throughout the day, the swift nature of the Test match could see a potential historic record in WA Test cricket squandered.
Before the start of the match, it was expected that over 85,000 would turn out for the opening three days of the Test match, breaking the previous West Australian Test match attendance record set in 2018, when 81,104 turned out for the first-ever Test at Optus Stadium, also played against India.
However, should the Test match maintain it’s frenetic pace, that 2018 record will likely stay intact.
Last men standing keep Aussies in the fight
It was slow going this morning, but Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood showed that, if patient enough, you can survive on this erratic Perth wicket – something India’s Test openers are now putting to good use.
Producing a handy 25-run partnership, the Aussies also became the first partnership of either team to last more than 100 deliveries – showing how tough going batting has been on the Optus Stadium deck.
Starc’s 26 showcased a brilliant example of farming the strike, with Hazlewood surviving an onslaught from several fronts at the Indians tried to wrap up affairs quickly. Eventually, the ever-reliable Bumrah proved the deciding factor, with Starc getting out trying to force the run rate before lunch.
Despite the disappointment, the patience shown by both batters suggests that runs are out there – if patient enough.
While the match sees a more even state of affairs, those 46 runs on a deck like this could prove the difference, with the visitors likely wary as the pitch starts to wear down going into the afternoon.