Kohli out, Aussies on track to win in Pune

The oft-maligned Steve O’Keefe, who took a total of twelve wickets for the match, six in each innings.

“Batsmen’s mindset changes when you don’t have good score in first innings espcially in India”.

When Australia last toured India in 2013, the spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja combined for an incredible tally of 53 wickets as the home side romped to a comfortable series-win.

But a stoic 57 not out from skipper Steve Smith – ably supported by Peter Handscomb (19), Matt Renshaw (31) and Mitch Marsh (21 not out) – steered them through to 4/143 at stumps. Smith, in amongst his reprieves, used his feet well to India’s spinners and never got bogged down. India have dealt with it fairly well, but then most of the times that they have had to do it, it has been mild pressure, under mild conditions. More importantly they took the catches better.

After tea, the downfall began when Jadeja trapped Mitchell Marsh (4) lbw. Despite opting for a review Smith’s luck had run out by then. Renshaw had also had a life on 25. Opener Matt Renshaw recovered from an upset stomach to score 68 runs.

The sparse crowd thought Jayant had bowled Warner around his legs for 20 but the off-spinner had overstepped the crease by a big margin and it was correctly called a no-ball.

Mitchell Starc hit a counter-attacking 47-ball half-century as Australia finished day one of the first test against India at 256-9 on Thursday. His 12 for 70 is the best figures by an Australian bowler in India.

However, he warned that Australia must continue to work hard to replicate their form in the second of four Tests in Bangalore.

Steve O’Keefe perhaps would have pinched himself several times to confirm what had transpired in a blink-and-miss kind of play on Friday.The left-arm spinner triggered a dramatic Indian collapse with his maiden Test five-wicket haul (6/35) to put Australia in command of the first Test. Umesh Yadav became O’Keefe’s sixth victim in the space of 24 deliveries when he was caught by Smith at slip.

“When I started to bowl my first six overs, I think I went probably back to my comfort zone, which is what I bowl in Australia“. Starc signalled his intent by slogging Ashwin for a boundary from the second ball of the day, but he did not survive until the end of the over.

After Smith reached three figures with a couple of runs off Jadeja, he punched the air and planted a kiss on his helmet before soaking up the applause from the sparse morning crowd and his team mates.