Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc blow away lower order to level series for Australia
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins terrorised India's tailenders as Australia wrapped up a 146-run win, Tim Paine's first as captain
14/12Result
2nd Test, India tour of Australia at Perth, Dec 14-18 2018
-
![Australia]( "Australia")
326 & 243 -
![India]( "India")
283 & 140 (56 ov)
Player of the Match
14/12Result
2nd Test, India tour of Australia at Perth, Dec 14-18 2018
-
![Australia]( "Australia")
326 & 243 -
![India]( "India")
283 & 140 (56 ov)
Player of the Match
Day 5
Lyon King, and Australia's top-and-tail advantage
How bad have India's top three been in the fourth innings this year? Even worse than you think
By performance and behaviour, Paine's men draw their line
Leadership has not broken the new captain - instead it has strengthened his authority and skill, and that was a large part of Australia's performance in Perth
Ishant-Jadeja spat throws spotlight on use of stump mics
Plenty of exchanges have been picked up during the first two Tests as the role of the host broadcaster becomes increasingly dominant
'As long as there is no swearing, the line doesn't get crossed' - Virat Kohli
Tim Paine, meanwhile, said he enjoys watching Kohli play, and felt he 'brings out the competitive spirit in a lot of people, which is great'
Virat Kohli defends no-spinner attack, and Umesh Yadav over Bhuvneshwar Kumar
India's captain said he might have played four quicks in the Perth Test even if R Ashwin had been fit
Paine's relief after crossing his fingers on opening day
Australia's quicks battered India's lower order while Nathan Lyon took his match haul to eight wickets to secure a 146-run success
Day 4
Nathan Lyon leaves India five down and sinking
The offspinner dismissed Virat Kohli and M Vijay after Usman Khawaja's 72 set India 287
It's strange but it's fun - Hazlewood on Perth Stadium pitch
The fast bowler has given his stamp of approval to the Perth Stadium pitch but has also admitted to being puzzled by its characteristics
Virat Kohli, Tim Paine collide, exchange words before umpire interrupts
The two captains extended their altercation from the third evening when Paine had called Kohli a "big head"
Australia and India play down Kohli v Paine banter
The series had been incident-free on the first seven days, but on the eighth the two captains exchanged a few verbals, which carried on into the ninth day
Crafty Lyon casts web around India, Kohli again
A severely weakened batting lineup meant Australia needed to accumulate the pressure with the ball and in the field in order to stay competitive. Lyon and co were up to the challenge
Day 3
Nathan Lyon establishes substantial lead for Australia
The offspinner claimed his seventh five-wicket haul against India to earn the hosts a 43-run lead, which grew to 175 by the end of day three
WACA chief lays blame at Cricket Australia for poor crowds
Christina Matthews, the WACA chief executive, also spoke about how the banned Cameron Bancroft has embraced his community service
Finch cleared of serious injury after latest blow to finger
Aaron Finch was taken for x-rays on a possible fractured right index finger after he was hit by Mohammed Shami
How did Bumrah only get one wicket?
Jasprit Bumrah had Australia's batsmen, especially the left handers, in all sorts of trouble
India 'surprised' by soft signal on Virat Kohli catch - Jasprit Bumrah
Australia equally certain it was a fair catch, says Lyon, while former players criticise Kohli's behaviour in Perth
Australia, and the Perth pitch, switch into the fast lane
Australia ended the day with a reasonable degree of confidence that the "faster and faster" nature of this Test is now more likely to result in India's demise
Virat Kohli only second to Don Bradman to 25 Test centuries
Stats about Virat Kohli's recent Test form and how he compares against other visiting batsmen in Australia
Bat, breathe, bat: The essence of Virat Kohli
He is the only batsman dragging his team forward. He is facing a superb attack. History isn't with him. And yet Virat Kohli always looked like he was having the time of his life in Perth
Day 2
Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane repel Australia's attack
Their fifties and Pujara's vigil helped India trim their deficit to 154 after Australia were dismissed for 326 on the second morning in Perth
Kohli's method and Rahane's madness
The India captain took no risks on a pitch with bounce and an attack full of pace, but the vice-captain was more than happy for the ball to come onto his bat and then fly away to the boundary
Brief lapse undoes hours of Australian work
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins bowled with the right balance between skill and emotion for most of day two. For one key sequence, however, they did not
Day 1
Marcus Harris, Travis Head make India toil in Perth furnace
Aaron Finch also pitched in with a half-century, helping Australia progress to 6 for 277 at stumps on day one
Who removed my spinner?
It is hard enough to win away Tests, but India keep making it harder for themselves by misreading conditions and selecting poorly
Ricky Ponting's history with Ishant Sharma steels Aaron Finch
Ponting's lessons from a decade ago helped Finch make headway in his battle to prove himself as a Test opener in home conditions
Marcus Harris steps up to give Australia a foothold
Marcus Harris took guard first up in Perth, for the first time in first-class cricket. Selflessness and teamwork on display, and it did the trick for his side
Usman Khawaja: 205 balls, one boundary
If crease occupation turns itself into a substantial innings, Khawaja's method is not a problem, but, so far this series, the tactic hasn't translated into runs
Others
Under-scanner Ishant works hard to rectify no-ball problem
Ishant had missed out on two wickets in Adelaide because he had over-stepped, but the no-balls not called on the field have also attracted scrutiny
A possible third for India: four quicks, no spin
With injuries and a fast, green pitch on offer, India could be going with no spin for the third time in their history, and second time under Kohli
Unchanged Australia call in Ponting for test of fundamentals
Ponting's advice followed time-honoured lines of Perth - leaving the ball on length, being selective on balls to drive and cashing in on the cut and the pull
Pace, bounce and live grass - Perth surface gets India excited
Virat Kohli was almost salivating at the prospect of playing on a pitch that is not shaved of the lush green look it wore on the eve of the second Test
Can the Test series hold its own against the BBL?
The two matches so far have been a great advertisement for the format, but is there too much cricket competing for people's attention?
India and Australia batsmen steel for testing time at 'new' Perth
Virat Kohli's team are in the rare position of leading a series in Australia as the home side's brittle top order remains in the spotlight
