NEW DELHI: India put on a solid fightback, thanks to R Ashwin and Axar Patel's brave eighth-wicket stand, on Day 2 of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
In reply to Australia's 263, India were bowled out for 262, trailing by 1 run.
Axar (74 off 115), who scored a boundary-laden half-century, smacked nine fours and three sixes in his innings. He was aptly complemented by Ashwin (37 off 71) as the duo looked set to give India the lead. The duo stitched a 114-run stand to take India out from a precarious situation.
As it happened: India vs Australia, 2nd Test
For Australia, spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers as he registered a five-wicket haul.
Australia were 61/1 at stumps on the second day, leading India by 62 runs, with Travis Head (39) and Marnus Labuschagne (16) at the crease.
The visitors lost their opener and man-in-form Usman Khawaja (6) to Ravindra Jadeja early in their second innings.
Earlier, having bowled out Australia for a modest total on Friday, India were in cruise control at 46 for no loss before Lyon (5-67) turned the match on its head.
The off-spinner mowed down India's top order to leave them reeling at 66/4.
Australia blew all three reviews inside 25 overs but Lyon, leading the tourists' three-pronged spin attack, kept chipping away at India's top order.
The off-spinner trapped KL Rahul lbw for 17 and, two balls later, had a strong lbw appeal against Cheteshwar Pujara turned down.
Pujara could not make the most of the reprieve though as Lyon, in his next over, struck a double blow.
The off-spinner bowled India captain Rohit Sharma (32) and trapped Pujara lbw for a duck in the batsman's 100th Test.
Peter Handscomb took a brilliant catch at short leg to remove Iyer off Lyon.
Virat Kohli (44) combined with Ravindra Jadeja in a 59-run stand to stage a mini-recovery but both fell to spinners in the second session.
Todd Murphy removed Jadeja for 26 but debutant Matt Kuhnemann dealt a bigger blow when he trapped Kohli lbw for his maiden Test wicket.
Australia looked poised for a significant first-innings lead but Patel and Ashwin forged the only century-plus partnership of the match to frustrate them.
All-rounder Patel brought up his fifty in style, hitting Kuhnemann over deep mid-wicket for a six.
Cummins dismissed Ashwin for 37 and took a stunning catch at mid-wicket to send back Patel as India were all out for 262.
Australia opener David Warner, who was struck in the head while batting on Friday, has been ruled out of the rest of the match with Matt Renshaw coming in as the concussion substitute.
India, who won the opening Test in Nagpur by an innings and 132 runs, lead the four-match series 1-0.
(With inputs from Reuters)
