When Todd Murphy broke the resistance of India's fifth-wicket stand of 59 runs on Saturday in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Australia picked three quick wickets including the dangerous Virat Kohli. From 125 for five in the 47th over, India were reduced to 139 for seven in the 51st over. Australia suddenly had the opportunity to get India folded for a low total and snatch a significant first-innings lead. But Axar Patel made Australia's work ten-fold harder. Following his unbeaten 82 in Nagpur, Axar scored a second consecutive fifty-plus knock to revive India yet again. After the knock, Rahul Dravid had a telling reaction while Team India made a glorious gesture from the dressing room. (India vs Australia Live Score, 2nd Test, Day 2)
Combining with Ashwin, the pair stitched a valiant 114-run stand for the eighth wicket. It is now the third-highest eighth-wicket stand for India in a Test match against the Aussies with the pair of Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar still holding the record with their 129-run stand at the Sydney Cricket Ground back back in 2008.
En route, Axar scored 74 off 115 before being dismissed by Murphy. The knock helped India revive from 139 for seven in the 51st over to 259 for nine in the 82nd over, putting the team four runs short of Australia's first-innings total.
As Axar made his way back to the pavilion, members of the Indian team, especially the coaching staff lauded the batter for his efforts. They all clapped with head coach Dravid joining in as well.
{{/usCountry}}As Axar made his way back to the pavilion, members of the Indian team, especially the coaching staff lauded the batter for his efforts. They all clapped with head coach Dravid joining in as well.
{{/usCountry}}Watch the video below…
India were eventually folded for 262, one run short of Australia's first-innings total. The tourists then extended their lead to 62 runs for the loss of one wicket - Usman Khawaja - with Travis Head on 39* and Marnus Labuschagne on 16*.
"Obviously it feels good to score runs, but the important thing was coming back from a pressure situation. I think because I was able to defend off the middle, my confidence rose and then I was attacking balls that were in my slot. I was asked in WI if I’m a batting or bowling all-rounder. My answer is simple - if I score runs I’m a batting all-rounder, if I get wickets I’m a bowling all-rounder," Axar said on his knock.