Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Todd Murphy rewrites history, becomes youngest Australian to take 5-wicket haul on Test debut
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Off-spinner Todd Murphy scripted history on Day 2 of the first Test between India and Australia in Nagpur on Friday, February 10.
The 22-year-old cricketer became the youngest Australian to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. Murphy joined the likes of Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, and Nathan Lyon to complete a five-wicket haul in his maiden Test.
The off-spinner further achieved a rare feat, becoming the 35th Australian to take a five-wicket haul in his maiden Test appearance. Making his Test debut alongside India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Kona Srikar Bharat, Murphy owned the second day of the Nagpur Test for Australia.
Murphy, who broke India’s opening partnership of 76 runs at the stroke of stumps on Day 1, rattled the middle-order of the hosts on Day 2. After claiming his maiden Test wicket with the dismissal of KL Rahul, Murphy picked up the wickets of nightwatchman Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Kona Srikar Bharat.
Despite the tumbling of the wickets at one end, India captain Rohit Sharma held the other end to hit his ninth Test hundred. Rohit lifted India to 229/6 before Pat Cummins removed him for 120. India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel held the hosts’ fort with their fifties, seeing off the day with no more losses. India reached 321/7, with Jadeja (66*) and Axar (52*) in the middle at stumps.
India led Australia by 144 runs at stumps. Earlier, Australia were bundled out for just 177 runs after opting to bat. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin ran through the line-up of the visitors as Jadeja completed a five-wicket haul and Ashwin returned with three wickets on Day 1.
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