The Cricketer looks at the main talking points on day two of the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at the Kia Oval
It was the bowlers who fought back on day two.
India's opening quicks posed problems for an hour on the opening day before Australia's batsmen took charge. The Indians' intensity was maintained this time, however.
Their assistant coach admitted that they might have gone to the shorter ball against Travis Head quicker. This time they targeted him with a sustained series of bumpers and finally ensnared him to a short one down the legside. The quicks stayed hostile to reduce Australia to 469 all out and it looked game on.
Australia's pacemen felt emboldened by those runs on the board, though.
Mitchell Starc struggled to start with but grabbed the prize wicket of Virat Kohli with a jaffa. Pat Cummins is a superb bowler, Scott Boland has the knack, and Cameron Green's height ensured he too was a handful.
Pat Cummins will be very satisfied with his side's position (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
It had to be the dismissal of Virat Kohli.
The Indian-dominated crowd, and no doubt everyone at home, had their hearts in their mouths when he came to the middle, earlier than he would have hoped at 30 for 2.
He looked pretty good, playing a lovely punch for four off Mitchell Starc. But the same bowler conjured a spiteful ball that got big on Kohli; it hit the shoulder of his bat and Steve Smith took a fine catch at second slip.
The fans sat in stunned silence as Kohli trudged off.
Steve Smith made yet another hundred (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Australia appear an ominous unit ahead of the Ashes.
To be fair England didn't have to be at their best against Ireland at Lord's.
The Australians did against India, however.
David Warner looked excellent until he was a bit unlucky to go for 41.
Travis Head made a scintillating century, Steve Smith an almost impenetrable one, and the Australians set an imposing one, even if at one stage they might have been eyeing up 700.
Then their bowlers set to work.
Cummins has sustained skill and aggression; Starc bowls wonder-balls; Scott Boland is imposing and nagging; Green has height as a weapon; and Nathan Lyon has know-how and a big heart.
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