India take grip as bowlers deliver Aussies telling blow on Boxing Day

India bounced back from their humiliating first Test defeat with a sterling bowling effort to bundle out Australia for just 195 and take a grip on a riveting opening day of the second Test in Melbourne on Saturday.

The visitors, who lost by eight wickets and were skittled for 36 in their second innings in an Adelaide horror show last week, were desperate to start well in Melbourne, and sure they delivered.

Australian captain Tim Paine won the toss and chose to bat in front of 27,615 socially-distanced fans, just short of the maximum allowed under coronavirus restrictions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. However, their batsmen found it hard going against a high-quality attack led by Jasprit Bumrah (4-56), Ravi Ashwin (3-35) and the impressive Mohammed Siraj (2-40), making his debut for the injured Mohammed Shami.

Marnus Labuschagne top-scored with 48 but that was as good as it got, with Steve Smith and Joe Burns among those out for ducks.

It left Indian openers Shubman Gill, also on debut, and Mayank Agarwal needing to negotiate 40 minutes at the end of the day against Australia’s world-class attack.

Agarwal was not up to the task, trapped lbw by a Mitchell Starc inswinger in the first over.

Gill was dropped on five by Labuschagne but otherwise looked comfortable, smacking five boundaries to reach 28 and help steer India to 36 for one at close with the experienced Cheteshwar Pujara unbeaten on seven.

With Ajinkya Rahane captaining the side in place of Virat Kohli, who has returned home for the birth of his first child, India got off to a perfect start, grabbing Burns, Matthew Wade (30) and Smith before lunch.

It left Australia in trouble but Labuschagne rode his luck, surviving two review decisions, to lead a recovery, putting on 86 with Travis Head (38).

Head had a nervous start but settled down and grew in confidence, hitting four boundaries before Bumrah enticed an edge which carried to Rahane at gully, sparking a collapse.

Labuschagne looked set for a ninth half-century but a brilliant catch by Gill ended his vigil and handed Siraj his first Test wicket.

Allrounder Cameron Green ground out 12 before he too fell to Siraj, then an excellent catch by Hanuma Vihari off Ashwin’s bowling accounted for Paine (13).

Nathan Lyon hit a cameo 20 but Australia’s tail otherwise failed to wag.

BURNS, SMITH FALL FOR DUCKS: With David Warner still injured, the hosts went into the clash unchanged, with Burns opening alongside Wade.

Burns hit an unbeaten 51 in Adelaide to relieve some pressure after a long lean spell, but his performance Saturday will once more raise questions over his place in the team.

He looked tentative against Bumrah and got a nick to a delivery he should have left.

Rishabh Pant, back behind the stumps in place of Wriddhiman Saha, took the catch and Burns was out without scoring.

At the other end, Wade had an escape on four when Gill narrowly missed a catch at slip.

He started finding the gaps before attempting a big hit off Ashwin, which proved his downfall for 30.

Ravindra Jadeja took the catch, but only just with Gill also underneath it. The pair collided but Jadeja managed to hang on.

Ashwin then claimed the crucial scalp of Smith, who was undone by an off-break with Pujara holding a catch at slip after the world’s top batsman faced just eight balls.