WATCH: Pat Cummins removes KL Rahul with unplayable delivery on Day 2 of AUS vs IND Test
On Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australian skipper Pat Cummins he cast an impressive spell, showing his class and precision. He dismissed KL Rahulone of India’s reliable batsmen, with an unplayable delivery that highlighted the bowler’s tactical brilliance. Cummins had already taken an early lead and was relentless in his pursuit of another breakthrough. Rahul, who scored in 24 off 42 balls, had shown some resilience but was undone by Cummins’ masterclass.
Magic delivery from Pat Cummins removes KL Rahul
Cummins’ delivery to dismiss Rahul was the epitome of seam bowling excellence. The ball was angled in, pitched on a good length on middle and off, and was seamed hard to hit top off stump. The Aussie skipper had set Rahul up nicely throughout the spell, targeting his pads with deliveries that hinted at lbw. This constant probing planted doubts in Rahul’s mind, subtly influencing his positioning.
As a result, his front pad was a bit more towards the leg side, leaving a narrow space for the ball to slip through. The delivery itself was almost perfect and left Rahul with no chance. It was a textbook example of how planning, precision and execution come together to produce a match-defining moment.
Here is the video:
ABSOLUTE CUMIN SEED! #AUSWIN | #DeliveredWithSpeed | @nbn_australia pic.twitter.com/zvzvkDyAnb
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 27, 2024
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Australia’s innings on Day 2: Steve Smith’s century and sudden collapse
Australia resumed on the 2nd at 311/6 with Steve Smith leading his charge. Smith showed immense patience, turning his overnight score of 68 into a brilliant 140, combining with Cummins for a vital 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Cummins impressed with a big 49 before falling Ravindra Jadeja. The lower order added crucial runs as Mitchell Starc i Nathan Lyon offered some resistance, but mostly India’s bowlers jasprit bumrah (4/99) and Jadeja (3/78), closed the innings effectively. Australia posted a formidable 474, leaving India with an uphill task to counter their dominance.
First batting for India in the Boxing Day Test match
Chasing Australia’s towering total, India began their reply cautiously. However, skipper Rohit Sharma fell cheaply for 3, missing a shot from Cummins. Rahul tried to steady the innings with a composite of 24 but was also dismissed by Cummins, leaving India at 51/2. Yashasvi Jaiswal promised with an undefeated 29, while Virat Kohli India are trailing by more than 400 runs, with the Australian bowlers, led by Cummins’ fiery spell, maintaining a strong grip on the match.
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