The second Test between India and Australia has turned out to be a thrilling contest with both sides matching each other blow for blow. The Australians seemed to be on the ascendancy for much of the second day before Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin turned the tide in India's favour. The Australians have since made a quick start to their second innings with Travis Head walking in to open the batting with Usman Khawaja instead of the struggling David Warner.
The crowd at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi have also got into the groove and there has been some gamesmanship from the fans as well. A video has gone viral on social media showing fans taunting Australian fielders with “Sandpaper” chants, in reference to the infamous ball tampering scandal of 2018 which saw Steve Smith, Warner and Cameron Bancroft copping lengthy bans. Smith and Warner were sacked as captain and vice-captain and while the former has since become vice-captain to the Test team, Warner continues to be banned by Cricket Australia from leadership roles.
It hasn't been all negative from the Indian crowd though. There have also been videos of fans cheering for Warner, who plays for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. There was also a number of cheers for Usman Khawaja over the course of his innings on Day 1.
{{/usCountry}}It hasn't been all negative from the Indian crowd though. There have also been videos of fans cheering for Warner, who plays for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. There was also a number of cheers for Usman Khawaja over the course of his innings on Day 1.
{{/usCountry}}All-rounder Axar hammered a counter-attacking 74 before Australia bowled out the hosts for 262 with Nathan Lyon returning figures of 5/67 on an intense day two of the second Test. The hosts conceded a lead of one run but a key eighth-wicket partnership between Axar and Ashwin (37) closed the gap on Australia's first innings total after they slipped to 139/7 in New Delhi.
Captain Pat Cummins finally broke the stand with the second new ball as the fast bowler got Ashwin caught with Matt Renshaw, a concussion substitute for David Warner, taking a good catch at square leg. Cummins took a stunner at mid on to end Axar's brave knock off Todd Murphy and fellow spinner Matthew Kuhnemann ended the Indian innings in the final session.
Lyon led Australia's charge with four wickets to rattle India in the morning and then claimed his 22nd Test five-for in an afternoon session that saw a controversial dismissal of Virat Kohli.