The match was in favour of Australia when it began on Day 2 of the SCG Test Match after the hosts reduced India to 185 all out after losing the toss on Day 1. However, Jasprit Bumrah, the SUPERSTAR, was at it again by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne for just 2. He was completely done in by a delivery that kicked off length, forcing him to edge it to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Australia were 15 for 2 before Sam Konstas went berserk in his customary fashion and got some sledging from Bumrah and Kohli about his style of batting that number 10 batters usually have.
Sam Konstas fell soon, went hard at the delivery outside off, only managing to hit straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully. Mohd. Siraj was the bowler. Four runs later, Travis Head, India’s old nemesis, hopped on to a delivery from Siraj that took the outside edge to KL Rahul who made no mistake. Australia were precariously placed at 39 for 4 as Indian bowlers reigned supreme.

Smith, Webster Counterattack Indian Bowlers After the First Hour in SCG Test Match, Day 2
After the loss of three quick wickets on Day 2, batting mainstay Steve Smith started lashing out boundaries in the company of the debutant Beau Webster. The inconsistency of Indian bowlers, especially Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Reddy, in terms of line and length, didn’t help the cause either. Steve Smith even hit a six off Prasidh Krishna at deep mid-wicket. Not often we see Smith going over the top early on in his innings. Take that India! Webster, on the other hand, looked even more assured in his defence and stroke making.
Just as everything was going smooth for Australia, came the heartbreaking moment for the hosts. Prasidh got one to nip away to induce an outside edge of Smith, which was taken by KL Rahul at second slip. A much-needed wicket for India just before lunch on Day 2 of the SCG Test Match. Australia reached 101 for 5 at lunch
India Knock Over Australia for 181, Gain a Slender Lead of 4 Runs
After lunch, Australia looked for quick runs as Alex Carey and Beau Webster found gaps and boundaries. However, the round-the-wicket ploy from Prasidh Krishna worked as Alex Carey played all over an incoming delivery to see his stumps shattered. He scored 21 off 36 balls. Captain Pat Cummins joined Webster in the middle and the duo added 25 runs for the seventh wicket. During this partnership, Webster scored a half-century too. However, Nitish Reddy dismissed Pat Cummins by making him play at a wider delivery on off to Virat Kohli at slip.
The next over saw Nitish Reddy dismissing Mitchell Starc with a rising delivery that went to KL Rahul at second slip. Running out of partners, Webster fished at a delivery outside off from Prasidh to Jaiswal at gully. Siraj took the final wicket of Scott Boland as Australia finished their first innings at 181. India got a slender lead of four runs.
India Begin Solidly but Lost Track Soon as Kohli, Gill Throw Away Their Wickets on Day 2 of SCG Test Match
It was important for India to get a good start in the second innings. They got that as Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed Mitchell Starc for four boundaries in the first over. India moved to 16 for no loss in the first over. KL Rahul also joined in with a couple of boundaries. India were racing along until Scott Boland knocked over KL Rahul. The Indian opener, while looking to whip on the on-side, could only manage a chop on to the leg-stump. Boland produced a magical delivery to knock over the off stump of a well-settled Jaiswal. Soon it was 42 for no loss to 47 for 2. Australia were back in the game.
Virat Kohli walked in to join Shubman Gill, and the duo took India to 59. Then happened what we have been witnessing all summer here in Australia – Virat Kohli edging it to a delivery outside off-stump to the slip cordon. How in the world can Virat Kohli recover from this syndrome that has been bothering him for nearly three years? Boland got all three wickets. If that was not enough, another brain fade from Shubman Gill saw the back of him against the run of play. He stepped out to Webster, only managing an edge to Carey behind the wicket. India slumped to 78 for 4.
Pant Goes Hammer Tong to Swell India’s Lead in SCG Test Match
Rishabh Pant, who came into bat after the dismissal of Virat Kohli, stepped out first ball off Boland to hit a massive six over long-on to signal his aggressive intent. He continued in that fashion to take India past the 100-run mark in 18 overs. Be it Starc, Webster or Boland, he didn’t spare anyone. It was raining fours and sixes off his bat at SCG on Day 2. He reached 50 with a boundary. It just took him 29 balls to reach the landmark. However, the drinks break seemed to have slowed down the momentum as Pant edged a wide delivery off Pat Cummins to Carey. Pant scored a brisk 61 off 31 balls. Australia were rewarded with another wicket of Nitish Reddy before Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar taking India to 141 for 6, stretching their lead to 145.