Cummins leads way as Australia maintain control

Smith ton extends daunting total then poor leaves help put India's batters in trouble

- Simon Burnton

On a day of unbroken sunshine in south London, India toiled in Australia's shadow. Ascendant at the end of day one, Pat Cummins' side were resplendent at stumps on day two and, though Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane led something of a late fightback, India ended the day on 151 for five, still 318 behind.

They will feel they contributed to their own downfall. There was some unexceptional bowling, occasionally downright wayward, as Australia reached a total of 469. Later Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara both fell to superlative deliveries, but they would have had a better chance of impeding their progress towards the stumps had they attempted to get their bats in the way.

If this game is drawn the trophy is shared, which rather takes away the incentive for a side to take any risks once they fall behind in the contest. India's intention at the end of Australia's innings must have been to slowly, carefully, find a foothold in the cliff face.

Perhaps they picked up on the fervour of the crowd, who greeted every run as if the scorer had just won a lifetime achievement Bafta, but little about what progress they made at the start of their innings was calm or careful.