Pune Test: Umesh puts India on top despite fifties from Renshaw, Starc

Pune [India], Feb. 23 (ANI): Right-arm pacer Umesh Yadav came out with a splendid display of fast bowling to put India on top at the end of first day's play of the opening Test of the four-match series against Australia here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium on Thursday. On a riveting day of Test cricket, Umesh bowled a top spell of pace bowling and took four wickets for 32 in the 13 overs he bowled after Australian opener Matt Renshaw played an impressive innings of 68 runs as the visitors reached 256 for 9 at Stumps on Day One. Mitchell Starc (56*) and Josh Hazlewood (1*) were the two unbeaten batsmen for the visitors, who had a rather disappointing day in the field. Starc, besides Renshaw, was the only other Australian batsman who scored a half-century for his side. In fact, the duo shared a final wicket stand of 51* and saw off the final 45 minutes of the day's play to force the Australian innings into the second day. Earlier, winning the toss in Pune, Steve Smith decided to bat first on a dry Pune pitch that offered little bounce to the bowlers. Renshaw and David Warner opened the innings for Australia and both batted cautiously to not give their wicket to the Indian spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin shared the new ball with Ishant Sharma. Both the batsmen almost saw the opening session and shared the opening stand of 82 which was finally broken by Umesh as he bowled Warner at his individual score of 38. Umesh dismissed Warner, who played away from the body and got the inside edge. After that the visitors kept on losing wickets at regular interval before Starc came to his own and scored his sixth half century to help Australia reach past 250-mark. Apart from Umesh, Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took two-two wickets while all-rounder Jayant Yadav, who was brought in the side for pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also chipped in with a wicket. (ANI)