Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul’s record-defining partnership on Day 2 of the Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Perth saw them join an exclusive club on Saturday. After the pitch started to change its nature and turn in favour of the batters, Jaiswal and Rahul made the most of what was on offer. They shifted through gears, picked their moments and constantly rotated the strike to put pressure off their shoulders. Australia’s bowlers soon ran out of depth as they fell to Jaiswal and Rahul’s mercy.
The relentless approach from the Indian openers became a sight to behold. They upped the ante to post an unbeaten 172-run opening partnership, propelling India’s score to 172/0 at the stumps.
It was the first 150-plus opening stand by a visiting team in Australia since 159 posted by English duo Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook at the MCG back in 2010.
Notably, this was the first 150-plus opening partnership outside Ashes Tests since 191 stitched up by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth at the SCG back in 1986.
Jaiswal and Rahul took the crease in the second session after Australia folded on just 104 at the stroke of lunch. They kept their composure and batted through two consecutive sessions to put India in a dominant position.
The last time an Indian pair before Jaiswal and Rahul, who batted out two successive sessions in a SENA ((South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) Test was the duo of Pujara and Kohli at the MCG in 2018.
The 172-run partnership was India’s highest opening stand in Tests in Australia since the 2004 SCG Test, where Virender Sehwag and Aakash Chopra displayed their grit to put on 123.
With exceptional footwork and strokeplay from the duo, Rahul stayed unbeaten with a score of 62(153) while Jaiswal slammed an unbeaten 90(193), which has put India in possession of a commanding 218-run lead.
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