IND vs AUS: India faces challenging task after tumultuous end to Day 2

India finds itself in a tough position after a dramatic final session on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Despite early promise, the visitors ended the day struggling at 164/5, trailing Australia by 310 runs.  

The day began with India enduring a long grind to bowl out Australia for a formidable 474. In response, India faced an early setback, losing openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul cheaply. However, a steady 102-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli offered hope, as the duo batted confidently in the second session.  

“We looked like we were in a good position to get big runs, especially when Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal were batting,” said India all-rounder Washington Sundar during the post-day press conference.  

Things took a turn for the worse late in the day. A mix-up between Jaiswal and Kohli led to the former being run out for 82, just when he seemed set for a century. Kohli, who had been disciplined throughout, soon fell to an edge while chasing a delivery outside off stump, a familiar issue in his career.  

Night watchman Akash Deep was also dismissed for a duck, leaving India reeling at stumps. The team now faces the challenge of avoiding the follow-on, needing 111 more runs to reach the mark.  

Despite the setbacks, Sundar remained optimistic. “We will still come back and continue to fight tomorrow morning,” he said. “Energy is very good in the dressing room. We are all positive. There's a long time in the game as well, there's three days and a lot of overs to play.”  

The game is critical for India, as they aim to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and keep their hopes alive for the ICC World Test Championship Final.  

In a side note, Ravichandran Ashwin's recent retirement from international cricket has also been a talking point. Sundar, who shares a close bond with Ashwin, credited the veteran spinner for guiding him in preparation for this series.  

“Having conversations with Ash [Ravichandran Ashwin], especially about the conditions in Australia, gave me a lot of insight,” Sundar said.  

With three days remaining, the match hangs in the balance. However, India will need a strong fightback to turn things around in this high-stakes contest.