Adelaide: Little Master Sachin Tendulkar feels the ongoing third session of the opening day of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval will be crucial for both India and Australia.
Just before the concluding minutes of the second session, spinner Nathan Lyon dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara to put Australia on top. Skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have now stitched a quality partnership for the fourth wicket as India look to take charge in the ongoing first Test.
Tendulkar said the game looks evenly balanced at the moment and it will interesting to see how the wicket behaves once the sun goes down.
“This will be a crucial session for both teams as one will look to move ahead of the other. At this point it looks evenly balanced. Will be interesting to see how the surface plays once the sun goes down,” Tendulkar tweeted.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, India got off to the worst possible start as Starc clean bowled Shaw (0) on the second delivery of the match.
Pujara then joined Agarwal in the middle and the duo tried to stitch a partnership for the visitors as both batters saw off the early spell of Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
However, with half-an-hour to go in the first session, Pat Cummins provided the second breakthrough as he bowled Agarwal (17), reducing India to 32/2
Skipper Kohli then came to the crease and he along with Pujara fearlessly faced Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood in conditions conducive to pace bowling.
But just when it looked like the duo would give India the upper hand and walk away with the honours of winning the session, spinner Nathan Lyon spoiled the party.
Just after reaching the team total of 100, India lost Pujara. A thick edge off the pad found Marnus Labuschange. The DRS confirmed the contact of bat and ball after which the on-field umpire overturned his decision and Pujara walked back to the pavilion. He scored 43 runs off 160 balls including two fours. (ANI)
