SPIRITED Aussies steal show against India on Day 1 of the third Test in BGT Series in Indore
On a track like this, what was needed was application. No, what one saw from the seasoned Indians was poor batting, as if they had no plan to deal with the conditions.
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IND vs AUS 3rd Test in Indore
Cricket is a game of fluctuating fortunes. Australia demonstrated application and the will to seize the upper hand on Day One of the third Test in the BGT Series at the tricky Indore track on Wednesday. Tails up after winning the first two Tests in Nagpur and New Delhi, India floundered and were taken for a spin, literally, by the Aussies in an eventful morning session.
To be bowled out for a paltry 109 was symptomatic of the malaise which has afflicted the Indian batters in this series. In reply, Australia were 156 for 4. The Indian top order has been topsy-turvy and there was nothing much to gloss over, with Shubhman Gill coming in for KL Rahul, under fire for non performance for far too long. It has been the story of this series that the Indian top order has looked shaky. To have expected the lower order comprising Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel to put runs on the board was unfair.
The morning’s story was abut low bounce, turn and spin, where the Indian batters were bamboozled by the Aussie spinners. If spin was the curse factor for the Aussies in the last Test in New Delhi, where playing the injudicious sweep shot spelt their doom, on Wednesday the Indians were shaky. For a nation whose batters have faced spin better than pace — at least that is the thought — the recent trend of collapsing against spin has been a huge embarrassment.
Sample this, the Aussies are now going in with three spinners, not relying so much on pace, as in the past. Virat Kohli flickered, scoring 22, but the rest failed to read the Aussie spin. Yes, the wicket was tricky in the morning but to play with the horizontal blade spelt doom for India. If, in the first Test, Todd Murphy was a revelation, in this Test, Matthew Kuhnemann was in the zone. Bowling stump to stump, not trying to do too much with the ball, Kuhnemann grabbed five wickets to prise open the Indian batting order.
Aussie batters showed more intent in their reply in Indore Test
On a track like this, what was needed was application. No, what one saw from the seasoned Indians was poor batting, as if they had no plan to deal with the conditions. It was made more treacherous than what it really was, for the Aussie batters showed more intent in their reply. Yet, this is not the kind of track one prepares for a Test match where the ball does as much in the first session itself.
The irony is, fans and pundits thought, the Indian spinners would run through the Aussie batting line-up. Nothing like that happened, though Jadeja did grab four wickets. To have opened the bowling with two spinners was more hype than hope as the Aussie showed they were mentally better prepared. Battered and bruised in the first two Tests, under stand-in captain Steve Smith, of Sandpaper Gate fame, they came out trumps in Indore. Travis Head was out cheaply but southpaw Usman Khawaja has been top class in this series.
The opener has been persistent in approach and his application was great. This kind of batting on tricky tracks is a sign of how Khawaja is so vital to Australia’s plans. His knock of 60 was valuable, though Jadeja did well to consume him. For his part, Marnus Labuschagne, hung around spiritedly for 31 runs before being consumed by Jadeja. Steely Smith, who had failed in this series in the first Two Tests, took on the leadership role with relish. He had shuffled his pack of bowlers in the morning and then batted with a desire to change the script.
There were oohs and aahs with the shadows lengthening but with a lead of 47 runs, Australia look comfortable. Perhaps, the best so far in this BGT Series.
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S Kannan
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