India squander good start, 151/3 at tea

India batsmen failed to convert their starts into bigger innings and as a result from a better position of 86 for 1, India slipped to 151/3 at tea time on the first day of 2^nd Test match at Brisbane against Australia on Wednesday.

The pitch was bouncy, alright, but there wasn’t much movement off seam and though they kept prodding against Australian bowlers, India batsmen seemed reasonably comfortable. But just as they seemed to have got their feet together, they lost the plot. The first to depart was Dhawan who slashed at a widish delivery outside off stump and was gone for 24. It was yet another good start from Dhawan and yet another failure to convert it into an innings of substance.

Pujara was unlucky to be given out caught behind when the ball seemed to have brushed his helmet. It was yet another umpiring decision that may cost India dearly in the long run. While his mate Marais Erasmus was responsible for three ghastly decisions on the last day of the Adelaide Test, this time it was Ian Gould’s turn to get it wrong.

And then debutant, Josh Hazelwood got the in form Virat Kohli who seemed to just carry forward from the last match where he had scored centuries in both innings. The ball bounced just a little more than Kohli expected, but that was enough to get edge as Kohli tried to cut a delivery that was too close to him for that shot. Again, yet another India batsman was gone just when it appeared India had steadied the ship.

Rahane survived a few anxious moments, including a lob that went inches above Hazelwood’s extended arm. Murali Vijay remained resolute on the other end at 73, holding the fort for India.