Images from Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Saturday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal combined game awareness with perfect shot-selection, while K L Rahul was technically unflappable in an unbroken opening stand of 172, as India looked set to bat Australia out of first Test in the Border-Gavaskar series with an overall lead of 218 runs at close on Saturday, the second day, in Perth.
After skipper Jasprit Bumrah's game-changing 11th five-wicket haul decimated Australia for 104 in the first innings, young Jaiswal (90 batting, 193 balls) and the seasoned Rahul (62 batting, 154 balls) decided to grind it out with some old fashioned Test match batting by waiting for the loose deliveries and respecting good fast bowling.
They showed their compact defense by scoring 88 runs in 31 overs during the post-tea session as Jaiswal inched towards a coveted ton on his maiden outing on Australian soil.
With enough time at their disposal and signs of cracks appearing on the surface, this is going to be India's Test to lose.
The way Rahul wore down the Australian attack was a sight to behold. There was no chatter from the slip cordon and, at one point, the stitches of the Kookaburra gave way.
The live grass died by the second afternoon and seam movement also went out of the equation, making batting easier.
But no one can take away any credit from the two openers who were hardly troubled, except for a mix-up that could have led to Rahul's run-out.
Jaiswal also showed that he had learnt his lessons from the first innings and curbed his urge to drive on the up initially, which was the best part about his batting. Each of his seven fours and two sixes were well-executed shots.
In the final session, he flicked him for good measure for a maximum.
Early in the innings, Rahul's on-drive off Pat Cummins could be called the shot of the match, but it was heartening to see Jaiswal put in a big stride forward while driving Mitchell Starc through covers apart from getting under the bounce and playing the ramp shot.
Jaiswal curbed his urge to drive on the up initially and that was the best part about his batting. Once he defended enough deliveries, the Australian pacers didn't have any option but to try either short or full length which he utilised well.
The whip over midwicket to hit Starc for a one-bounce four and then induce a grin from the pacer by telling him "You are slow" spoke volumes about how fearless the current generation of Indian cricketers are.
In the case of Rahul, he kept a very loose bottom-hand and that helped with the deliveries, even the ones that took the thickish edge only to fall way in front of the slip cordon.
Unlike times when he has had issues, Rahul did not do a front-foot press across the off-stump and his trigger movement was late, allowing him to switch on front and backfoot easily.
In the morning, India captain Bumrah deservedly got his 11th five-wicket haul while debutant Harshit Rana bowled a fiery opening spell to dismiss the hosts for 104 at the stroke of lunch despite a stiff last-wicket resistance from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
The visitors will be a touch disappointed that they couldn't get a bigger lead, which seemed on the cards once Australia were reduced to 79 for 9.
Starc (26 off 113 balls) shielded Hazlewood (7 not out off 31 balls) admirably during their 25-run last-wicket stand that lasted 18 overs and got the lead below 50 (46 runs), making it a contest of who bats better in the second innings.
The day began on a bright note as Bumrah (5/30 in 18 overs), bowling the second over of the day, got one to rear up from back of a length and Alex Carey's edge carried at a good height to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps.
The skipper's celebration was understated as he purposefully strode back to his bowling mark even before Nathan Lyon arrived.
At the other end, Bumrah started the day with Harshit Rana (3/48 in 15.2 overs), who carried on from where he left on the opening day.
Unlike on the first day, the rookie speedster used more short balls. One such well-directed delivery accounted for Nathan Lyon, who was pouched at gully by K L Rahul.
With 71 runs behind India's first innings total of 150, one expected the visitors to get rid of the last pair easily, but the short-ball tactic did not work well against Starc, who chuckled while reminding his former KKR teammate, "I have a long memory Harshit".
Starc showed good defensive qualities before taking his chances now and then with some aerial hits. Harshit was replaced by Nitish Reddy for three overs but, with the ball being 40-plus overs old and the seam suppressed, there was not much incisiveness to his wicket-to-wicket bowling.
Finally, Harshit, coming for his second spell of the day, had Starc trying to slog and the skier was taken by Pant.
