India has won the opening Test of their 4 match tour of Australia by 31 runs. Many expected India to make light work of the 6 wickets required on the fifth and final day of the match on a wearing pitch. The Aussies required 222 on the final day.
Australia’s hopes seemed pinned on their final two specialist batsmen Shaun Marsh and Travis Head who were both not out overnight. After being their best in the first innings, the fans of the home team were disappointed to see Head go early in the first session, failing to keep down a sharp bouncer from Ishant Sharma. Caught at gully for 14.
Shaun Marsh was looking like a potential hero as he displayed the best of his flashing drives to reach 50 in the fourth innings of a match for the first time in his career. However, it was India’s best bowler for the day, Jasprit Bumrah (3-68) who lured an edge off a hesitant dab with a perfectly pitched delivery.
It was beginning to look grim for the home side.
It was from here the Australian tail was able to do something their top order batsman had failed to do the whole match. That was to stand up, show some grit and withstand some quality bowling.
Tim Paine (41 off 73 balls), Pat Cummins (28 off 121 balls) both set the platform for a victory that no one thought imaginable at the lunch break. The panic and frustration was beginning to show with India, in particular, their captain Kohl. When Cummins was dismissed the home team required 53 runs from their final wickets.
Nathan Lyon, the most determined playing for Australia for the whole match, dug in with No.11 Josh Hazlewood and managed to dwindle the required total down into the 30s and there was a sense of something special in the works until the final extended over before tea, when Hazlewood edged and delivery from Ashwin to second slip.
The victory was India’s first Test victory in Australia since 2008 and their first ever opening Test win in Australia.
The thrilling contest sets up a tantalising series, with the next match to begin on Friday in Perth, a pitch that is expected to provide fierce pace and bounce.
Both teams will be focused on plenty of areas of improvement. Can Australia’s flailing batsmen find some form on the quicker deck? Will Virat Kohli strike after a disappointing start to the series? Can Mitchell Starc find some form with the ball?
The opening day of the series belonged to the Australians after an equally impressive contribution from all of their strike bowlers. Josh Hazlewood took the slight honours with figures of 3-52. Cheteshwar Pujara played a lone hand for the Indians, playing a patient and precise knock of 123 that ended up being a match-winning innings. India were bowled out for 250.
In what is becoming sickly expected for fans of Australian cricket, Day 2 was all about another innings that failed to get off the ground with the bat. Ravi Ashwin held up an end all day with his misely off-spinners, finishing the day with figures of 3-57. Travis Head dug deep with the bat for the Aussies, working hard with the tail to post 72 runs and ensuring his side would only start the second innings 15 runs behind.
The second Indian innings saw Nathan Lyon was finally starting to hit the worn area of the pitch that came up wide of the right-handed batsmen’s off stump. He picked up the prized wicket of Virat Kohl late in Day
Day 3 was where India began to take hold of the match. It was again Pujara, this time deputised by the patient Rahane, who spearheaded the slow demise of the Aussie bowling attack. Lyon finished with figures of 6-122 as India finished with a total of 307, setting Australia a total of 323 for victory.
Who is your pick for the second Test in Perth?
