Nathan Lyon Helps Australia Dominate Day 1 vs India

Nathan Lyon was the star of the show in Bengaluru on Saturday as the spinner picked up eight wickets to help Australia dominate Day 1 of the second Test against India. Lyon's 8/50 helped the visitors bowl out India for 189 before they ended the day at 40 for no loss, trailing India by 149 runs. Lyon picked up his eighth five-wicket haul in Tests which also turned out to be his career best figures and in the process he also became the highest wicket-taker for Australia against India in Tests, overtaking Brett Lee.

Lee has 53 scalps from 12 Tests against India while Lyon now has 58 from the same number of matches.

Resuming at 168/5 in the final session, India were bowled out by Australia in just 12.2 overs. India lost the last five wickets in a span of only 15 runs and Lyon ran through India's lower order. All the last five batsmen of the Indian batting line-up got out for single digit scores.

Opener KL Rahul was India's lone bright spot as he scored 90, his third Test half-century and second of the series. Rahul tried to fight till the end but was the ninth wicket to fall in the day as he tried to accelerate, being left with no choice.

David Warner and Matt Renshaw then added 40 runs for the Australians in 16 overs before the day ended with the visitors trailing by 149 runs.

Earlier in the day, Lyon made India reel at 168/5 at tea with Rahul fighting on at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium after India opted to bat.

Lyon struck shortly after lunch to get Kohli trapped lbw for 12, as the star batsman once again offered no shot to an Australian spinner. He was bowled by left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe in the first Test.

The fronts the media after a record day in Bengaluru #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/NzDQM21pfU

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 4, 2017

Kohli, who had a rare flop in Pune with scores of 0 and 13, faltered after choosing to pad up Lyon's off-spin that headed straight onto the stumps and was adjudged lbw.

Kohli wasted a review as the replays agreed with the umpire's call and the star batsman walked back to the pavilion with the home crowd stunned into silence.

Rahul, who survived two dropped catches on 30 and 61, continued to grind his way forward but support from the other end is what the batsman required.

Karun Nair (26) stayed on with Rahul for a while before getting stumped to O'Keefe, who starred with 12 wickets in Australia's big win in Pune.

Earlier Rahul had braved a tough morning session as well with pace spearhead Mitchell Starc and Lyon reducing India to 72-2 at lunch.

GOT HIM! Lyon finishes with 8-50, the sixth-best Test figures by an Aussie EVER! Incredible from the GOAT. India all out for 189 #INDvAUS

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 4, 2017

Pacemen Starc and Josh Hazlewood bowled probing spells to rattle the Indian batting on a pitch which had an average first innings score of 451 in the last seven Tests.

A probing Australian bowling attack struck twice to jolt India as opener Rahul braved a tough morning session.

The hosts were 72 for two at lunch as off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara (17) just before the break.

Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc gave Australia their first breakthrough after trapping opener Abhinav Mukund lbw for nought in the third over of the day.

The left-handed Mukund, who returned to India's Test XI after nearly six years since playing his last game in 2011, was drafted in place of injured Murali Vijay.

Rahul and Pujara then tried to grind their way out, surviving some hostile spells of pace from Starc and Hazlewood.

It is Stumps on Day 1 of the 2nd @Paytm Test. Australia are 40/0 from 16 overs & trail India 189/10 by 149 runs. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/iEpITde5Cu

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 4, 2017

Virat Kohli's India, who lost the opening Test in Pune inside three days, need to win this match in order keep their chances of winning the four-game series alive.

(With inputs from AFP)