ADELAIDE: Young
Marcus Harris, who became Australia’s 456th Test player on Thursday, impressed with a 57-ball 26 on the second day of the first Test against India.
However, Australia’s relatively inexperienced and untested batting line-up — in the absence of the banned duo of Steve Smith and David Warner — wilted under pressure from Indian bowlers, leaving the match tantalizingly poised with three days remaining.
Harris, who tackled off-spinner R Ashwin most effectively by repeatedly using his feet, ultimately fell to the wily off-spinner, who had him caught at forward short-leg. Talking to mediapersons at the end of the day’s play, Harris pleaded for patience from all quarters as the new players get into the groove.
India may be slightly better placed than Australia at the end of Day 2, but Harris maintained that the Australians were bullish about their chances of forcing a victory.
“We’re still 100 per cent in the game,” he said. “We’re only 60 behind, so all it takes is a good partnership in the morning and we’re even. We have a brilliant bowling attack… so 100 per cent, we’re positive,” he added.