You expect this in Delhi but it’s still pretty shocking. Unfortunately air pollution in the subcontinent won’t be fixed anytime soon so it’s just one of those things players have to deal with.
I treat air pollution as another form of inclement weather myself; given the emphasis on player comfort these days I wonder if an AQI threshold will be used in future. There is precedent for stopping play due to air pollution: it happened in a Big Bash match at Manuka Oval, Canberra during the 2019/20 bushfires. AQI in Canberra on one or two days was well over 1000 on the US scale, much worse than Delhi right now. But of course this was an acute event and not the norm, like in Delhi (and Lahore, Dhaka ) in most months of the year. The only real break Delhi gets is in the summer monsoon, when no cricket is played!
The second test is evenly poised after two days, with Australia finishing on 1/61 in their second innings, after bowling out India for 262 in the first innings. India were 7/139 with Nathan Lyon having a five-wicket haul, but a 114-run partnership between Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin reduced the deficit. It took the second new ball for Australia to grab the last three wickets.
If we can avoid a dramatic 3rd innings collapse this morning (I’m not confident) then we are in a fairly good position. Pity about the inevitable ‘dead cat bounce’ which saw India almost erase the deficit, otherwise we’d be in a very strong position. But without that catch from Cummins to dismiss Axar Patel we may have conceded a fair bit on the first innings.
Lyon has been quickly devoured by the Indian spinners, in much the same manner as a goat curry.
I wonder if the Australians are trying to BazBall their way out of trouble but failing epically. This is the only logical explanation for the carnage (short of a hotel visit by Warnie and Junior’s favourite bookie). I’d like to see the Poms try BazBall in India.
Just another batting collapse by Australia in India. This time it was 9/48, including a team hat-trick (three wickets in three balls across 23rd and 24th overs).
India lost four wickets before claiming victory in the second session today. Interestingly, Pat Cummins did not bowl during the Indian run chase, it was all spin bowling.
Australia will regard this test as opportunity lost. If not for that fightback by Patel, India would have been trailing by 100 runs or more. Even with today’s batting collapse, Australia would have had more than 200 runs to defend.
I knew this dead cat bounce would be decisive in the test given our penchant for third innings collapses. If not for the freakishly good run of luck at the toss (which meant we didn’t have to bat last) the defeats may have been heavier.
The toss is the only thing Australia may win on tour by the looks of things.
UPDATE 25/2
Australia will face South Africa in Sunday’s final, after the home side defeated England by six runs. It is the first time a South African side (men or women) has made the final of a Cricket World Cup.