Aus vs Ind 2nd Test, Day 1: Harris, Head, Finch score fifties to keep hosts alive

Perth: Australia and India shared spoils on the first day of the second Test here on Friday with the hosts registering a total of 277-6.

Aaron Finch (50), Marcus Harris (70) and Travis Head (58) scored half-centuries to give the hosts a fighting chance.

Finch and Harris put up a 112-run stand for the first wicket before the former was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah.

Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja (5) and Peter Handscomb (7) had short stints at the crease.

Captain Tim Paine (16) and Pat Cummins (11) are currently batting.

Australia 251-6 after 82.1 overs

WICKET! Travis Head is dismissed for 58 by Ishant Sharma as Mohammed Shami completes the catch at third man.

Australia 237-5 after 78 overs:

FIFTY! Travis Head brings up his third half-century in Test cricket, his second in three innings. Not the most elegant knock but he has been scoring at a good rate.

Australia 232-5 after 77 overs:

CAUGHT! The partnership is broken. Banged in short by Vihari and Shaun Marsh falls prey while playing the cut shot. Ajinkya Rahane takes a safe catch at first slip and the hosts are now half a side down.

Tea:

India bounced back in the post-lunch session as they took three wickets, including that of Aaron Finch (50) and Marcus Harris (70).

At tea break on Day one of the second Test, Australia are 145-3.

While Finch was struck lbw by Jasprit Bumrah, Hanuma Vihari was the man behind Harris' wicket, who was looking in good touch.

Meanwhile, Usman Khawaja had a very short stint at the crease as he was seen off by Umesh Yadav for five runs.

Australia 134-3 after 48.2 overs

WICKET! Hanuma Vihari removes the in-form Marcus Harris for 70 as Rahane completes the catch at first slip

Australia 130-2 after 46 overs

WICKET! Usman Khawaja is dismissed by Umesh Yadav as Rishabh Pant completes the catch

Australia 112-1 after 35.2 overs

WICKET! India finally get the breakthrough as Bumrah sees off Finch who is struck leg before wicket.

Australia 83-0 after 29.5 overs

FIFTY! Marcus Harris gets to his maiden Test half-century.

Lunch break report

Hosts Australia dominated the first session of the second Test match at the Perth Stadium here on Friday, having registered a total of 66-0 so far.

Both Aaron Finch (28 not out) and Marcus Harris (36 not out) have looked in good touch.

Tim Paine and co decided to bat on a green track at the new stadium in Perth and the opening batsmen have not given any room for an Indian breakthrough.

Australia 62-0 after 23 overs

The hosts have got off to a positive start. Marcus Harris (34 not out) looks in good touch and is set to clinch his maiden Test 50.

Toss update

Australia won the toss and chose to bat.

Preview

Virat Kohli-led India will look to double their lead when they take on Tim Paine’s Australia in the second Test starting at the new Perth Stadium here on Friday.

The Visitors had earlier clinched a historic 31-run win in Adelaide during the first Test to lead the four-match series 1-0.

While India continue to miss the services of Prithvi Shaw due to an ankle injury, they have suffered another blow as Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma w ere ruled out of the Perth Test due to injuries.

Ashwin had taken six wickets in the match, while Shaw impressed with a knock of 66 against Cricket Australia XI in a tour match ahead of the Test series in Sydney.

Where to watch the matches live?

Live telecast: The matches can be seen live on Sony Six (English commentary) and Sony Ten 3 (Hindi commentary).

Live streaming: It can also be streamed live on Sony LIV, the digital platform on the internet.