Cricket-Rahane digs in with captain's knock to put India in command

Completely misjudging the flight of the delivery, Vihari had the ball ping off his glove behind the wicket where Steve Smith took the easiest of catches. Recalled wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant joined Rahane at the crease and rejuvenated the Indian innings, roughing up Pat Cummins with a pair of fours in one over and also working over Lyon.

Australia chipped away at India with two wickets but stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane stayed firm to raise a half-century and guide the tourists to safer ground on day two of the second test in Melbourne on Sunday. India were 189 for five in reply to Australia's first innings 195 before rain brought tea a few balls early on a steamy afternoon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Rahane, standing in as skipper after soon-to-be-dad Virat Kohli returned to India following the first test, was 53 not out with recalled all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on four. India had resumed on 90 for three after lunch with Rahane and Hanuma Vihari looking to mow down Australia's modest total.

The pair batted judiciously for a tense half-hour against the pace-and-spin combination of Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon before Rahane sent a shudder through the India camp by calling for a trainer. A physio worked on his lower back for several minutes before he retook the crease.

Vihari managed only one more scoring shot, a deft late cut for four off Lyon, before he was dismissed the next ball with an ungainly sweep at the spinner. Completely misjudging the flight of the delivery, Vihari had the ball ping off his glove behind the wicket where Steve Smith took the easiest of catches.

Recalled wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant joined Rahane at the crease and rejuvenated the Indian innings, roughing up Pat Cummins with a pair of fours in one over and also working over Lyon. Mitchell Starc was introduced and the rangy left-arm paceman struck in the second over of his spell to have Pant caught behind for 29.

A two-wicket burst by Cummins in the morning had earlier rallied Australia after India resumed the day on 36 for one. Cummins denied debutant Shubman Gill (45) a half-century and also dismissed India's number three Cheteshwar Pujara for 17 in a fiery five-ball burst midway through the session.

Cummins broke the pair's 61-run partnership with a ball that teased Gill into a tentative push away from the body, sending a nick through to wicketkeeper and captain Tim Paine. Cummins then coaxed a thick edge from Pujara, with Paine diving to his right to snaffle a brilliant one-handed catch.

Australia lead the four-test series 1-0 after thrashing India by eight wickets within three days at the Adelaide Oval. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)