Does Ravindra Jadeja have glue in his hands? This blinder proves so

After dismissing India for just 189 on day one thanks to Nathan Lyon’s heroics, Australia came out at 0-40 looking to patiently build a platform for victory. However, the Indian openers played their shots and got India off to a positive start.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja clinched a six-wicket haul as Australia were dismissed for 276 runs in their first innings on the third day of their second Test against India here on Monday.

Australia ended day two six down, with a lead of 48.

Australian opener Matt Renshaw (60) and No 4 Shaun Marsh (66) hit patient half-centuries to thwart Indian hopes of running through the innings on the second day. Jadeja’s efforts had kept India in the match and stopped Australia from building too big a lead, although on a cracking pitch with variable bounce, their 87-run advantage was still extremely valuable. “When Jadeja was bowling there wasn’t enough help from the centre of the wicket”.

R Ashwin bowled 41 overs and took one wicket, Ishant Sharma bowled 23 overs and took one wicket, Umesh Yadav bowled 24 overs and took one wicket. Together with Renshaw, Marsh added 52 runs for the second wicket. Then it was Jadeja’s magic with the ball. Runs were hard to come by and the odd ball keeping low. “It wasn’t easy for the fast bowlers because there wasn’t much help. So if we continue to bowl the way we have did today we will be able to get them out soon”, said the right-hander.

“I’ll tell you what we’re watching, we’re watching too sides under enormous pressure and all these smiles there’s a fakeness to it”, Test great Matthew Hayden told on Star Sports. “So we just have to have a game plan”. On the other hand, Shaun Marsh was given out by the umpire when he was on 44, but he called for a successful review and went on to score 22 more runs.

Three times in the series, the Indians are yet to cross 200 but Pujara is confident that they can put up a good total here. Ashwin now has gone seven innings at home without a five-wicket haul, the last of which came against England in the Mumbai Test, late previous year.