If you look at the final score at stumps day 1, the first instinct you get is the similarity to the 2018 test played at the same ground. However, the inner details of the scorecard depict the Indian batsmen were not able to convert the starts which they got.
The test of the openers
Indian fans were overjoyed right from the moment Virat Kohli won the toss; India never lost a test whenever he has won the toss as captain. But just after two deliveries, Prithvi Shaw was cleaned up by Starc, and things looked quite tricky.
Mayank Aggarwal made a good start by surviving the new ball and scoring 17 runs, which included a brilliant off drive past the mid-off fielder. Pat Cummins ended his innings with a great ball curling into the batsman, a dream of a delivery. However, the credit goes to Mayank to have played the 1st hour, mainly when India lost its 1st wicket without a run on the board.
The consolidation of Indian innings
Cheteshwar Pujara batted as if he started from where he had left off 2 years back when he was the architect of India’s victory in Australia. Though there were edges off his bat twice, those soft hands and the slowness of Adelaide pitch make sure that the ball was not carried to the slips. The occasional ones and twos were more to be seen in the second session, mostly against the spinners.
Pujara consolidated the India innings together with Virat Kohli, who shared a crucial 68 run partnership. The Indian captain didn’t look comfortable throughout his innings, occasionally beaten and unable to defend a couple of short deliveries from Starc, which we are not accustomed to seeing. He was also given a huge reprieve when Australia decided against going for a review of a caught behind appeal when he was just on 16.
The run-rate during the 2nd session went above 2 after a long time when Pujara hit two consecutive boundaries off Nathan Lyon. Just when it looked like both batsmen would start to score more quickly, the spinner dismissed Pujara in his next over against the run of play.
It became essential for Ajinkya Rahane to make his mark as he will also captain the side from the next match in the absense of Kohli. Runs started to come at around 3 an over and the partnership had put India on course for a big total. They also relied on some sharp singles to keep the scoreboard moving, but who knew that this would be the cause of the captain’s wicket, which turned the game.
The Turning Point
In the 77th over, Rahane tapped to offside, and he started taking some steps but suddenly asked Kohli to return. Given our captain’s running speed, he was already halfway, and Lyon completed the formalities of hitting the stump. This wicket came at a crucial juncture because the new ball was on the cards soon.
Rahane was soon to follow after he was adjudged LBW off Starc in his 1st over with the new ball, and suddenly India, looking for a score of 300-350 sometime back, was now struggling to get even 250. Vihari’s short stint, which mostly included runs scored off edges, was ended by Hazlewood.
Talking points
Pat Cummins was the pick of the Australian bowlers. He was not at all easy to score off during the first two sessions. Nathan Lyon also purchased great turn and bounce from the Adelaide pitch that Ashwin and Vihari would also have liked, given Australia looking to bat last in the test match.
I feel Tim Paine’s decision of bringing the off-spinner early in the 2nd session is justified, given the fact that the fast bowlers will be fresh to go for the kill during the night session.
The onus will be now on wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin tomorrow to help India get close to 300. I guess tomorrow, the Indian bowlers would have a job on their hands to help the team get a decent lead as they did 2 years back.
Day 1 Summary
India: 233/6, 89 overs [Saha 9*, Ashwin 15*]
Pick of the batsman: Virat Kohli- 74
Pick of the bowler: Pat Cummins- 1/42
Cow Corner 