Rahul and Yashasvi were off to a good start by forming an excellent partnership.Image Credit Source: PTI
The latest example of how the situation in a Test match changes within a session or a day was seen in Perth. On the first day of the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the fast bowlers wreaked havoc and the batsmen were in trouble. India and Australia together had lost 17 wickets, but the situation completely changed on the second day and batting became easier. Team India’s openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul took advantage of this and put together a brilliant century partnership.
On the second day of the Perth Test, Team India had bowled Australia’s first innings of 104 runs and thus gained a lead of 46 runs. After this, all eyes were on Team India’s opening pair to see if they could get off to a better start in the second innings. This could not happen in the first innings as Yashasvi Jaiswal was out without opening the account. In such a situation, a good opening partnership was needed this time to score big and both the batsmen did not disappoint.
The Optus Stadium pitch had turned good for batting on the second day, but it was still not easy to overcome Australia’s excellent fast bowling. Patience was needed against the new ball and the Jaiswal-Rahul pair did exactly that. Instead of showing any kind of aggression, both batted patiently and made Australia crave for wickets. During this period, Yashasvi Jaiswal also made his first half-century in Australia. Along with this, he also completed a century-long partnership with Rahul.
With this India’s 20-year wait also ended. After 20 years, India’s opening pair has completed a century of partnership in a Test match in Australia. Earlier in 2003 and 2004, Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra had made century-old partnerships in the Melbourne and Sydney Test on an Australian tour. There was a partnership of 141 races in Melbourne and 123 races in Sydney. After this, India’s biggest partnership was 71 runs, which was between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill during the last tour of Australia.
