Related Links: Australia Tour of India 2012/13 | India Vs Australia – 2nd Test Scorecard
Michael Clarke scored 91 but his side collapsed on Day 1 of the 2nd Test at Hyderabad | India Vs Australia, 2nd Test
Australia batting first after winning the toss, collapsed to 237 for 9 before helplessly declaring its first innings on the opening day itself in the Second Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad. India ended the day’s play without losing any wickets in the 3 overs before the close. It was a day that belonged to the Indian bowlers barring the post lunch session which completely belonged to the Aussies.
The crucial toss was won by the Aussies and they decided to bat first on a pitch that was going to crack up under the heat to help the spinners dominate the game. India surprisingly went with an unchanged XI to once again leave Pragyan Ojha on the bench. Australia made two changes with debutant Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty taking the places of Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc.
The Aussies had a massive blow losing three top order wickets to swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar which had them on the backfoot. David Warner and Ed Cowan were caught in the crease and were bowled and out lbw respectively to Bhuvneshwar’s late inswingers inside the first five overs.
Shane Watson tried to revive the situation playing his shots, but one too many cost his wicket in the 15th over to leave Australia at 57 for 3. On a pitch with uneven bounce, Watson (23) went for an ambitious pull shot to a short ball from Bhuvneshwar that was banged in outside off. The ball darted back and stayed extremely low to hit Watson’s pad plumb infront. R Ashwin by lunch removed Phil Hughes by inducing a top edge in the left hander’s square cut which was caught in the second attempt by MS Dhoni. At lunch, Australia were struggling at 83 for 4 in 28 overs.
In the afternoon session, a tremendous partnership between Captain Michael Clarke and Wicket Keeper Matthew Wade saw the tourists bat through the next 32 overs without losing a single wicket to take Australia to 187 for 4. After Tea though, the pendulum swung India’s way with the opening coming from a loose uppish square cut from Matthew Wade (62 from 145 balls with 8 fours) off Harbhajan Singh which was caught by a forward diving Bhuvneshwar at backward point to end a big partnership of 145.
Disaster struck the Aussies after the Wade dismissal as the next four wickets fell with the addition of 28 more runs in a little under 15 overs! Moises Henriques who batted so well in Chennai lasted only 22 balls before he was bowled by a ripper from Ravindra Jadeja that turned square from leg to clip his off stump bail. Debutant Glenn Maxwell was caught behind by Dhoni in a forcing backfoot drive off an arm ball from Jadeja. Peter Siddle was next to depart for a duck, as he went back instead of coming forward to get trapped lbw by Harbhajan.
Michael Clarke who was shocked to see wickets tumbling at the other end played a wrong shot, a slog sweep right across the line to get cleaned up by a dart from Jadeja to miss out on a well deserved hundred. Clarke scored 91 from 186 balls with 9 fours and a six and after his exit waited a few minutes before declaring his team’s first innings at 237 for 9 in 85 overs.