Watch: Marnus Labuschagne stuns KL Rahul with brutal bouncer, Josh Hazlewood impressed

Australia cricketer Marnus Labuschagne bowled a wild bouncer to Indian opener KL Rahul on Day 2 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 opening match. Marnus Labuschagne had been vocal about his seam-up bowling ability and bouncers before the start of the five-match home Test series.

Marnus Labuschagne was seen practicing medium-pace bowling before the start of the highly anticipated Test series against India. The 30-year-old, who has bowled leg-spin in international cricket, delivered some medium-pace deliveries in Shield cricket. He also bowled bouncers against Pat Cummins in the nets.

Watch: Marnus Labuschagne Stuns KL Rahul With Bouncer

Marnus Labuschagne tried to bounce out Indian openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul before the stumps on the second day at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, November 23. He used his short bowling tactic at speeds in the mid-130s against Rahul in the final over, leaving Josh Hazlewood in awe.

Rahul was surprised by the sharp bounce of a short delivery from Labuschagne. As Rahul attempted to defend it, the ball rose unexpectedly and struck him on the glove. The batter smiled after the delivery despite the discomfort. The medium pacer conceded just two runs in the overs he bowled today.

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Labuschagne was known for his batting but has increased his bowling load lately, especially during his time in England. He was key for Glamorgan with his leg-spin bowling in county cricket. The cricketer also played an important role with the ball in Australia's white-ball tour of England earlier this year.

KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal Played Two Sessions Without Losing Wickets

India has taken control of the ongoing Perth Test after openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul put together an unbeaten 172-run partnership on Day 2 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Jaiswal (90*) and Rahul (62*) guided India to the highest opening stand by the Indian cricket team in Australia since 1986.

India ended Day 2 at 172/0 with a lead of 218 runs, and Jaiswal will aim for a fourth Test century. It will be interesting to see how many runs the visiting team adds on the third day. They will be hoping to bat at least two sessions tomorrow to set a massive target for the home team in the first Test match.

Australia Bowled Out for Just 104 Runs in First Innings

Earlier in the day, India bowled out Australia for just 104 and took a crucial 46-run lead in the first innings. Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers for the visiting team, with a five-wicket haul. The Indian skipper was well supported by debutant Harshit Rana (3/48) and pace bowler Mohammed Siraj (2/20).

The Jasprit Bumrah-led team managed to score 150 runs after winning the toss, with contributions from debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41), Rishabh Pant (37), and KL Rahul (26). Josh Hazlewood took four wickets for the Australian team.

Also read: Rishabh Pant becomes third wicketkeeper in cricket history to achieve this huge feat