The battle intensifies as the pink ball moves into its second day at the WACA. Day 2 is historically the "moving day" in Test cricket, and in the context of Alyssa Healy's final farewell, the stakes have never been higher.
After the nerves of Day 1, Day 2 offers the best batting conditions before the pitch begins to wear. For the Indian top order, it's about building a mountain of runs; for the Australian pace attack, it's about utilizing the early afternoon breeze to break the game open.
Today is a special community initiative at the WACA. Cricket Australia and Westpac are encouraging fans to "Pack the Hill"—specifically the newly renamed Healy Hill. Expect a sea of green and gold as the Perth crowd pays tribute to one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters to ever play the game during her final appearance.
With experienced pacer Renuka Singh Thakur ruled out of this Test to manage her workload, all eyes are on her replacement, Kashvee Gautam. Day 2 will be a massive test for the young seamer's discipline on a pitch that demands relentless accuracy. India's captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, will look to her spin twins Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma to provide control if the Perth heat begins to bake the surface.
WACA is known for rewarding batters who can weather the initial storm. Smriti Mandhana, who boasts a stellar Test average of 57.18, will be looking to anchor the innings. On the Australian side, Ellyse Perry—already the top run-scorer in the current squad with 930 Test runs—is closing in on the historic 1,000-run milestone.
As the sun beats down on the WACA during the first two sessions, the pitch often becomes at its most docile. This is where teams look to post "monster" totals. Australia has scored 400-plus runs in each of their last two home Test innings; India must ensure they don't let the game slip away during this crucial window.