Smith strikes a balance
Steve Smith again proved the elusive wicket for India as the new captain led an Australian fight-back on Day Two of the second Test on Thursday.
Smith, who was not dismissed by India in last week's Adelaide Test win with scores of 162 and 52, continued to be the bane of the tourists with another defiant knock.
His intuitive stroke-making was again a delight and he danced down the wicket to club spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for two sixes over long-on in one over.
At the close, with a storm brewing, Australia were 221 for four in reply to India's 408 with Smith unbeaten on 65 and Mitchell Marsh on seven.
The Australians lost the wickets of David Warner (29), Shane Watson (25), Chris Rogers (55) and Shaun Marsh (32) in the final two sessions.
Shaun Marsh, recalled as a replacement for injured skipper Michael Clarke, had registered six ducks in his previous 15 Test innings but Thursday looked to have overcome his series of poor starts.
He had a big let-off on 32 when Ajinkya Rahane put down a sitter at leg gully off Varun Aaron in the 45th over.
But he was out two overs later, caught by Ashwin in the slips off Umesh Yadav on the same score.
Rogers missed a chance to post a much-needed big innings when he was out in the over before tea.
He raised his sixth Test half-century with a cut for four off Ashwin as he looked for runs in Brisbane after recent batting failures.
Debutant Josh Hazlewood captured five wickets and Brad Haddin equalled a wicketkeeping record as Australia dismissed India for 408 at lunch.
Paceman Hazlewood led the way with three scalps on the second morning as the Australians bounced back after Wednesday's horror day in the field in sweltering conditions.
Haddin equalled the Australian record of six dismissals in an innings held by Wally Grout, Ian Healy and Rod Marsh with two more catches on the second morning.
The Australians began the day well with two wickets before Dhoni and Ashwin regained the initiative with a belligerent seventh-wicket stand that produced 57 runs in equal time.
SCORE IN BRIEF
INDIA: First innings 408 (Vijay 144, Dhawan 24, Pujara 18, Kohli 19, Rahane 81, Sharma 32, Dhoni 33, Ashwin 35; Hazlewood 5-68, Lyon 3-105)
AUSTRALIA: First innings 221 for 4 (Rogers 55, Warner 29, Watson 25, Smith 65 not out, Marsh 32; Yadav 3-48)
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