Twitter Reacts As Australia Take Control Of The Proceedings Against Team India Courtesy Marnus Labuschagne's Ton On Day 01 At The Gabba

Twitter Reacts As Australia Take Control Of The Proceedings Against Team India Courtesy Marnus Labuschagne’s Ton On Day 01 At The Gabba

Marnus Labuschagne, India, Australia, ICC
Marnus Labuschagne.(Photo: Twitter)

Australia cashed-in on an inexperienced Team India bowling attack and a couple of missed opportunities by the tourists to assert themselves into a position of strength and finish the opening day of the Gabba Test at 5/274.

Batting first, Australia once again got off to a horrendous start as Mohammed Siraj removed David Warner for the second time in the series in the very first over of the innings.

India, Australia
Rohit Sharma took a brilliant catch of David Warner [Image Credits: Twitter]
The right-hander found the ideal length right away as he pitched it up, luring David Warner forward before the ball straightened off the seam to take his outside edge, only for Rohit Sharma to take a brilliant diving catch in front of 1st slip.

Marcus Harris, who had earned a call-up for the series-decider due to shoulder injury to Will Pucovski, got off to a promising start as he nailed Mohammed Siraj for a disdainful square-drive in the very first over.

However, he went into a shell post that stroke and was eventually dismissed for a 23-ball 5 on what was an innocuous delivery by Shardul Thakur on his pads, chipping it straight to Washington Sundar at square-leg. Steve Smith came out with positive intent as he laid into Shardul Thakur courtesy authoritative strokes, none better than the cover-drive.

Smith and Labuschagne ensured that Australia did not lose any more wickets in the morning session even as Washington Sundar troubled the duo with the leg-side ploy. Sundar eventually had the last laugh as Smith finally succumbed to the leg-side tactics by India as he flicked the debutant off-spinner straight to Rohit Sharma at short midwicket.

One wicket could have brought two for India but for skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who shelled a regulation catch at gully after Navdeep Saini had induced an outside off Marnus Labuschagne’s bat in the very next over.

Navdeep Saini
Navdeep Saini (Credits: Twitter)

Things, however, became worse for Team India as Navdeep Saini hobbled off the field due to a groin strain.

Labuschabgne’s drop proved to be a huge moment in the game as the Australian No.3 went on a rampage post that repreive, smoking 71 runs off his next 97 balls, en-route to his fifth Test ton.

India, Australia
Marnus Labuschagne [Image Credits; Twitter]
Labuschagne and Matthew Wade went on to stitch 113 runs for the fourth wicket in a pretty quick time.

T Natarajan, India, Australia
T Natarajan after claiming his maiden Test wicket [Image Credits: Twitter/ICC]
But just as it looked that the duo was running away with the game, debutant T Natarajan clawed India back in the Test as he claimed the duo by inducing mistimed pull strokes off their bat.

However, Tim Paine and Cameron Green- who got a lucky reprieve thanks to a dropped caught & bowled chance by Shardul Thakur- proved to be a thorn in the visitor’s flesh as the duo cashed in on the inexperienced of T Natarajan and Washington Sundar to stitch an unbeaten 61-run-stans as Australia finished the day at 5/274.

 

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

 

 

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Yash Mittal

Just a student of this beautiful game called cricket. Writer. Storyteller.

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