Home team Australia won the first Test match of the series bowling out India for just 36 runs in their second innings at the Adelaide Oval. India were already one nil in the series and with Virat Kohli opting for paternity leave while premium bowler Mohammad Shami injured his bowling arm only made matters worse for the visiting side. However, led by Ajinkya Rahane, India have found a valuable leader for the second match of the series at the MCG.
Ajinkya Rahane scored his 12th century in Tests taking India to a massive 131-run lead in the first innings at MCG. In the process, he was involved in two 50+ partnerships for the fourth (52 with Hanuma Vihari) and fifth (57 with Rishabh Pant) wickets respectively. And to top it all, he stitched a 121-run stand for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja.
In the midst of all the drama, India had a bit of luck in achieving this 131-run lead in the first innings at MCG. There are as many as 6 dropped chances in India’s first innings – Debutant Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped twice, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin were dropped once. Here are the chances that went begging in India’s first innings at MCG.
Shubman Gill was dropped on 4 by Marnus Labuschagne
Pat Cummins bowled a full and angling in delivery into debutant Gill who played it towards mid-on. However, he ended up getting a thick edge that flew into the slip cordon. It should have been taken by Labuschagne at second slip but it goes down.
Shubman Gill was dropped on 28 by Tim Paine
A perfect wicket-taking from Josh Hazlewood that had caught a very little inside edge of Gill’s blade. Paine was standing little right and was a tad late to dive across to his left to grab that catch. In the end, Paine ended up spilling that catch.
Gill made 40 runs in this innings and ended up stitching a 61-run stand with Cheteshwar Pujara. More than the runs he scored after the dropped chances, its the partnership that had hurt Australia the most! The partnership was just 5 runs when Gill was dropped first by Labuschagne and ended adding 57 more runs for the second wicket.
Rishabh Pant was dropped on 27 by Cameron Green
It was a fuller delivery from Pat Cummins which prompted Pant to go for a big drive. Got a thick edge as the ball flew to left of Green at gully who spilled the ball after landing on the ground.
Pant was dropped on 25 by Green but it did not prove to be very much costly as he was dismissed on 29 runs just four overs later by Mitch Starc.
Ajinkya Rahane was dropped on 73 by Steven Smith
Second new ball was taken with Australia eager to break the sixth-wicket stand. In the very first over after taking second new ball, Rahane flashed at a wide delivery which took the outer edge of the bat and flew to Steven Smith at second slip. Much to their agony, Smith dropped it in the end which seemed to be a sitter!
Ajinkya Rahane was dropped on 104 by Travis Head
Starc pitched it short and managed to hit Rahane’s glove before ballooning up in the air. Travis Head running in from the backward point put on a desperate dive but couldn’t manage to hold on as the ball pops up after he hits the ground.
The partnership between Rahane and Jadeja was just 62 runs when he was dropped for the first time! Overall, this pair has ended up stitching a 121-run partnership for the sixth wicket! The stand is almost doubled after the first drop, that’s rubbing salt to wounds! Isn’t it?!!
Ravichandran Ashwin was dropped on 4 by Marnus Labuschagne
A mistimed pull shot by Ashwin off Nathan Lyon’s bowling went straight to Labuschagne at leg slip. The fielder was late and as a result he can’t hold on to the catch in the end! Ashwin added 10 more runs to his personal score after this drop catch!
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