Smith celebrates after scoring his seventh Test century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Australia stand-in captain Steven Smith scored a career-best 192 to leave India reeling at the end of the second day of the third Test in Melbourne.
Smith was well supported by pace bowler Ryan Harris and wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin, who made 74 and 55 respectively.
However, India opener Murali Vijay deserves some credit for his unbeaten knock of 55.
Starting out the day on 259/5, Smith and Haddin converted their 43-run partnership into a 110-run partnership, during which Smith brought up his seventh Test century and Haddin his half-century, before Haddin was caught behind off the bowling of Mohammed Shami.
Haddin’s solid knock of 55 came off 84 balls and included seven boundaries and a six.
Haddin played some lovely shots during his knock of 55
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Smith and Mitchell Johnson kept the runs flowing with a 50-run partnership before Johnson was stumped by India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin for 28.
Australia’s dominance with the bat continued as Smith and Harris put together a 106-run partnership, during which Smith surpassed 150 runs and Harris registered his half-century, before Harris was given out lbw off the bowling of Ashwin.
Harris’ career-best knock of 74 came off 88 balls and included eight boundaries and a six.
Harris dazzled the crowd with his career-best innings of 74
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Nathan Lyon scored 11 runs before he was clean bowled by Shami.
Australia were bowled out for 530 when Smith was cleaned up by Yadav for a career-best 192, which came off 305 deliveries and included 15 boundaries and two sixes.
Shami was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Yadav and Ashwin chipped in with three wickets apiece.
Trailing by 530 runs, India got off to a good start as Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan amassed a 55-run partnership before Dhawan was caught by Smith at second slip off the bowling of Harris for 28.
Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara made up for the early loss of Dhawan with an unbeaten 53-run partnership, during which Vijay recorded his half-century, before stumps was called.
Vijay finished on 55 off 102 balls, which included five boundaries, while Pujara remained undefeated on 25 off 69 deliveries, which included two boundaries.
Vijay hit five boundaries during his unbeaten knock of 55
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Harris was the only bowler to take a wicket.
India ended day two on 108/1 and will continue batting tomorrow at 10:30 local time or 23:30 GMT (previous day).