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India are in the box seat in their series opening Test against Australia after openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal produced fighting knocks.
AUSTRALIA v INDIA, first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, Optus Stadium, day two.
SCORE: India 150 and 0-172. Australia 104.
SUMMARY: Australia started day two at 7-67 and it soon became 9-79 when Alex Carey and Nathan Lyon departed. Mitchell Starc dug in alongside Josh Hazlewood, with their 25-run final-wicket stand reducing the deficit to 46. Star paceman Jasprit Bumrah finished with 5-30. Indian openers KL Rahul (62no) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (90no) then combined for an unbeaten 172-run partnership to put the visitors well and truly in the box seat.
PLAYER OF THE MOMENT: Jaiswal's Test career continues to go from strength to strength. The 22-year-old faced 193 balls in scoring his unbeaten 90, striking seven fours and two sixes. He was dropped at slip by Usman Khawaja on 51, but was otherwise in control as he tired out Australia's pace attack in the Perth heat. He entered the match with three tons and eight half-centuries to his name from 14 Tests, and he's well on his way to century No.4.
STAT OF THE DAY: The unbeaten 172-run stand between Rahul and Jaiswal is the second-highest opening stand by India in Australia. The record is the 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth in Sydney in 1986. That mark could fall early on Sunday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I bowl faster than you Harshit. I bowl faster than you. I've got a long memory." - Mitchell Starc puts Harshit Rana in his place after the Indian debutant appeared to poke his tongue out at Starc after getting the Australian to defend a rising delivery.