Australia dismissed for 260 in first innings

No two ways about it. Australia were much better. Given how the first Test had transpired for India, this team activity could be just the thing they needed before preparing afresh for Bengaluru’s assault. Mitch Marsh didn’t bowl but his second- innings knock of 31 and 56-run partnership with Smith was crucial.

“The last time we had a performance like this (in Galle), we had the most outstanding run after that”. India wasted both reviews on Mitchell Marsh but the all-rounder was batting on 21 with his skipper in an unfinished stand of 30 runs. “And the wickets take care of itself”. But considering the highest successful Test chase was 418, by the West Indies against Australia in 2003, it wasn’t really looking good for the hosts. At the same time, the Australian fast bowlers would have put in extra efforts and this would have exhausted them mentally and physically. We were not good enough on any of the three days. While he was happy to play defensively in the first innings, this time he came with an intent to score and played aggressively.

Australia won the first cricket test against India by a massive 333 runs on Saturday with two days to spare, ending the hosts’ 20-match unbeaten streak at home. He struck some magnificent drives against the likes of Starc and Lyon. As for Kohli, he scored a duck in the first innings and was clean bowled when he didn’t offer a shot in the second innings. Murali Vijay (10) was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in his first over.

“We got outplayed in this game”. “During the lunch break, I worked on my bowling because I was not happy with my first spell”. “You always hope don’t you, as a player”. Opener Rahul had braved a cramping left-shoulder to make a quality half-century but his dismissal in the eighth over of the second session opened the sluice gates. India slipped from 94-3 to 95-6 in the space of five deliveries.

Four wickets down in eight balls.

Smith, the world’s top-ranked test batsman, was eventually out leg before to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for 109 after he compiled his 18th test ton to guide Australia to a winning advantage. It’s not that I’m going to say I’m going to take a wicket every ball. The Jamtha pitch in Nagpur came under flak and the ICC termed it as “poor” following a report by the series match referee Jeff Crowe. If losing seven wickets in just about seven overs was not enough, India went on to drop three catches of Steve Smith who made sure that those chances don’t go waste. This pitch is certainly challenging and needs a lot more restraint.

He said: “Going to Sri Lanka, I thought that was my big opportunity, and I sort of messed that one up”.

The Sunday Telegraph said O Keefe shattered 84 years of Test history on the sub-continent to pilot Australia to one of their most famous victories. “The inputs from Monty Panesar and spin coach Sridharan Sriram have been very valuable, and instilled belief in what I am doing”.