I take it you all heard about Australia’s unexpected win against India last week? It wasn’t what we expected and certainly not what I’d personally hoped for. Although I’m tempted to call it a fluke – simply because it’s against my nature to offer our antipodean cousins any credit whatsoever – we should probably give this unexpected turn of events a more objective assessment. Here’s our man down under, Frazer Loveman, with his thoughts on the game. What did you make of the action?
Down is Up; left is Right; the Pope has popped down the local temple and started learning the Torah. At least, I can only presume these things are true given what took place in Pune in the first test match between Australia and India.
India, fresh of a systematic dismantling of what many thought was a decent English team, appeared to be untouchable on home soil and faced an Australia team that has been humiliated by a sub-par Sri Lanka the last time they visited Asia. One cannot help, especially as an Englishman in Australia, comparing the Miracle of Pune (as it shall now be known) to the toils of the English team on the subcontinent.
Australia’s first innings followed a similar pattern to what would have been expected. Of all the specialist batsmen, Matt Renshaw (either side of an extended trip to the latrines) was the only one who made any substantive contribution with a stoic 68 off 156 balls. However, some late fireworks from Mitchell Starc added a handy 61 to drag the baggy greens to a respectable 260 all out. This achievement was all the more impressive for the fact the Indians had rolled out one of their special minefield wickets, with the balling turning square after 10 overs of play on day one.
Now the expectation, on my part at least, was that the Indian batsmen would make the seemingly decent Aussie total look thoroughly inadequate. The indomitable Cheteshwar Pujara and the swashbuckling Virat Kohli would feast on the fairly tepid Australian spin attack of Nathan Lyon and the oft-forgotten Steven O’Keefe, who was making just his fifth test appearance.
Australia at home can rely on the best combination of fast bowling in test cricket, but it was questionable how Josh Hazlewood and Starc would fare in Indian conditions. Unfortunately they both bowled well and laid the table for the most unlikely of demolitions. Starc bagged both Pujara and Kohli (who registered his first duck since being bowled first ball by Liam Plunkett at Manchester in 2014!) while Hazlewood added Murali Vijay for good measure. After slipping to 44/3 the Indians staged a recovery led by KJ Rahul who worked his way to 64 before inexplicably spooning an O’Keefe delivery to Dave Warner in the deep.
This acted as a catalyst for O’Keefe, who would have been man of the hour, if only the rest of the innings had lasted an hour. A torrid spell of spin bowling from the 32 year old journeyman (13.1 overs 6-35) and Lyon (11 overs 1-21) reduced the Indians from 94/3 to 105 all out. This total marked India’s lowest score at home since March 2006, when an England bowling attack led by four wickets from Shaun Udal took all ten Indian wickets for just 100.
Australia were understandably buoyant with a lead of 155 but they still had some work to do. After all, there was always the chance their batsmen would capitulate too and blow a winning position …. as England’s touring squad will duly attest.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and Steve Smith played a captain’s knock scoring 109 in tricky conditions. Although their were no massive partnerships, 30s from Mitch Marsh, Renshaw and Starc enabled the Aussies to haul themselves to 285 – an unassailable lead of 440 on Day 3 of the match. Suddenly the question was not would Australia win, but when?
India would have gone into their second innings expecting to put up more of a fight against O’Keefe and Lyon. Surely O’Keefe couldn’t keep bowling like a peak-career Harabhajan Singh? These expectations were both pie in the sky as Australia’s new national hero (for this week at least) took his second six-fer, conceding just 35 runs off his 15 overs. Lyon, whom many had considered unlucky in the first innings to only come away with a single scalp, made some more hay, taking 4 for 53 and marking a rare occasion of spinners taking all ten wickets in an innings for the baggy green.
For those keeping record India were bundled out for pathetic 107 in the second dig. O’Keefe’s 12 wickets in the match came at the cost of just 70 runs which constitute by far and away the best figures for a foreign slow bowler in India. The last Aussie spinner to take 12 wickets in India was Jason Krezjia (remember him?) who surrendering 358 runs across his two innings.
Australia will now head to Bengaluru hoping that O’Keefe’s rebirth can continue. After the disaster in Sri Lanka, where the Aussies were hapless against spin, they parted ways with Muttiah Muralitharan (who had been an advisor to the squad) and hired toward Monty Panesar – an unexpected return to the international stage for the ex-England tweaker. Perhaps Monty was a revelatory presence for the Australians?
It is unlikely that Australia will encounter a pitch similar to Pune for the rest of the series. The groundsman probably made the toss too important and India won’t make that mistake again. Indeed, I still expect India to win the series given their excellent recent home record. However, if Australia can somehow hang on for a famous series win it would provide the ultimate springboard for the Ashes later in the year.
Frazer Loveman
I’m not particularly surprised about the result – India weren’t that great against England, England were just so thoroughly incompetently led that we made Bangladesh look like world beaters.
“a rare occasion of spinners taking all ten wickets in an innings for the baggy green”.
The last time was Warne and May in…. 1993.
“O’Keefe’s 12 wickets in the match came at the cost of just 70 runs”.
Which is the best 12-for in Test history (beating George Lohmann)
“by far and away the best figures for a foreign slow bowler in India”.
Beating Jason Krezja – although he went for so many runs Richie Benaud’s 11/105 has a claim to be the genuine previous best. It was also the best figures for any Australian bowler against India (beating Alan Davidson in 1959).
“Steve Smith played a captain’s knock scoring 109 in tricky conditions”.
Incredibly, it was only the third second dig century by an Aussie in a Test in India. England have 14 – and Alastair Cook on his own has as many as Australia in their entire history!
I thought the Pune test went pretty much as expected. One side capitulated against decent spin bowling. Just expected it to be India doing the bowling.
I guess the damage was done in India’s first innings really. I’ve read that their 4th inns total of just over 100 was probably par in the circumstances. The pitch was an absolute bunsen …. which can occasionally make average spinners look really good. I remember Michael Clarke’s left armers running through India on a similar deck not so long ago.
I actually think Lyon is a half decent spinners but I’m really surprised by O’Keefe’s success. Every time I’ve seen him he’s looked really innocuous. Either it was the pitch or he’s a late developer (a bit like Swann).
Possibly James. Didn’t they go from 94/3 to 105 all out? Glad we taught our hosts something when we visited late last year, if only how batting collapses!
O’keefe rarely gets mentioned during discussions of Australia’s spin options (and never by me) but his first class record is excellent – 237 wickets at an average of 23.9 at a strike rate of 53.9. As Cricinfo’s player profile puts it, his bowling “looked innocuous but had been deceptively deadly for many years at first-class level”
It will be interesting to see how his career unfolds from here.
I’ve always found it strange that his first class stats are so good. They suggest a top class performer. But if that’s the case, why hasn’t he been given more opportunities considering the derth of Aussie spin talent in recent years. I’d always assumed the selectors saw O’Keefe as a limited overs bowler.
He’s managed to get injured very often for a slow bowler, and often at the wrong time. He did well in the first test in SL – until getting injured. And it was from the point of his injury that Australia went from a strong position to an abject loss. The Lankans deserve credit for that, particularly the bloke whose name escapes me who scored a big second innings hundred, but O’Keeffe had looked like being a real asset in that series.
Derth?
Nathan Lyon is a top class bowler I feel. So you only playing for a 2nd spinner slot which like England they don’t often use
It wasn’t a Bunsen.. it was just inept batting from most batters.. I mean, did you see half the shots played!!
Whilst it was hilarious to watch India lose so badly on a heavily doctored pitch I do wonder if there schedule has played a part.
They are coming to the latter part of 13 tests in 6 months, maybe this was one fight too far.
That said, I actually don’t rate this batting line up very highly, England a few opportunities but failed to take them.
I expect mega flat pitches from now on where they will hope to bat first, post a score and hope the Aussies collapse under scoreboard pressure.
While I’ve only seen the highlights, following only online, There was some discussion that on such a viciously turning pitch SO’Ks accurate but more mild spin was better suited jadeja and Ashwin beat the bat a lot (I think Jadeja beat the bat on 25% of deliveries in one spell) but usually by over a bat width. SO’K found the edges.
The other factor was India dropped multiple catches and squandered the DRS on very hopeful decisions- I think their lack of experience in the DRS showed. It reminded me of Shane Watson and Aus in the 2013 Ashes.
I think Steve Smith was dropped 4 times to his century, and had a very fortunate not out that had India not wasted the DRS earlier could have been overturned.
Next game will be closer (or Aus will lose). There is no doubt Aus played a much better game than recent outings in Asia but at the same time rode some luck.
It’s worth noting SO’K did really well in the tour game at the start of the Sri Lanka tour but then got injured and didn’t play in the tests. It’s likely that had he played Australia would have faired somewhat better in that series.
India also fielded really badly which allowed aus to pile on runs. Aus in return, took some screamers which turned the screw.. the wicket was t a Bunsen, wasn’t that bad really… batters on both sides where just not great and tried to hit their way out and epically failed
The match referee has rated the pitch “poor” meaning India are likely to get a slap on the wrist for it. Granted it was Chris Broad doing the rating …
(I forgot to paste the link http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2016-17/content/story/1084661.html)
I saw, however we all know that their rating system is flawed. They’d rate a run fest wicket as great after all when that is more boring and far less testing.
It wasn’t the perfect wicket but it wasn’t bad. Players just haven’t got the mentality or techniques to want to bat long when it’s hard generally. Test cricket is supposed to be testing!! Unlike white ball which is supposed to be a slog fest
Winning and loosing is a part of a game, but a real winner is that who learn from mistakes and make a great comeback.