BANGALORE – Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed eight wickets, including Virat Kohli´s prized scalp, to leave India reeling on the opening day of the second Test in Bangalore today.
The hosts were 168 for five at tea with opener Lokesh Rahul fighting on with an unbeaten half-century at Bangalore´s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Rahul on 79 and Ravichandran Ashwin on five were at the crease after the hosts, who trail the four-match series 1-0, elected to bat first.
Lyon struck shortly after lunch to get Kohli trapped lbw for 12, as the star batsman once again offered no shot to an Australian spinner. He was bowled by left-arm spinner Steve O´Keefe in the first Test.
Kohli, who had a rare flop in Pune with scores of 0 and 13, faltered after choosing to pad up Lyon´s off-spin that headed straight onto the stumps and was adjudged lbw.
Kohli wasted a review as the replays agreed with the umpire´s call and the star batsman walked back to the pavilion with the home crowd stunned into silence.
Rahul, who has survived two dropped catches on 30 and 61, continued to grind his way forward but support from the other end is what the batsman requires.
Karun Nair (26) stayed on with Rahul for a while before getting stumped to O´Keefe, who starred with 12 wickets in Australia´s big win in Pune.
Earlier Rahul had braved a tough morning session as well with pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and Lyon reducing India to 72-2 at lunch.
Pacemen Starc and Josh Hazlewood bowled probing spells to rattle the Indian batting on a pitch which has an average first innings score of 451 in the last seven Tests.-APP
