A familiar collapse from Australia left the tourists gasping for space at the end of the first day of the Hyderabad Test against India. We’ll bring you the live coverage of the action throughout the second day from 3.00pm AEDT.
A bold declaration at the end of the day from Michael Clarke followed a couple of spells of batting that were overwhelmingly pathetic but not entirely shocking.
If the late-order collapse to the Ravindra Jadeja-Harbhajan Singh pair was a part of an expected script, Australia top-order batting against the seam bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar left much to desire.
It did not take too much time for Australia to slump to 4/63 at the start and later surrender their last five wickets for the addition of only 29 runs, raising serious questions about their pedigree in these conditions.
It was left to the captain Michael Clarke to lead from the front but without much support bar Matthew Wade, Australia find themselves staring at a long day in the field on the second day. A total of 237 may be a challenging one to defend for the visitors.
Despite the pitch offering assistance to both spinners and seam bowlers, it will depend on how quickly the Australian bowlers adapt to these conditions. Especially given that the tourists dropped Mitchell Starc for this game and replaced him with a sort-of-spinner in Glenn Maxwell.
Xavier Doherty isn’t the bigger turner of the ball but as was evident from the first day pitch he should get help. How Peter Siddle and James Pattinson go with the new ball will prove decisive.
The Indian openers Murali Vijay and Virender Sehwag haven’t had the best of times at the top and are under much pressure to retain their spots but the next four have all had a good knock at Chennai. An early wicket or two will keep the Australian hopes alive.
Conversely if the Vijay-Sehwag stand can see the side through close to the lunch break, it could prove to be a morale-sapping affair for the tourists.
Live coverage of the game begins from 3.00pm AEDT this afternoon, so add your opinion in the comments section below.
Red Kev
Guest
So far this series India are 933/13 - and yet when looking at the Australian team you would say that our bowling is our strength :)
DJW
Guest
Seriously did anyone look at are line up and think we could bowl Indian out twice??? I seriously think this NSP is worse then Hilditch and co and I use to go on about getting rid of them. If Pattison and Siddle didnt take wickets where were they going to come from? Doherty cant buy a wicket in sheild cricket Maxwell is a fielding all rounder Henriques is a honest toiler and bowled well but not going to take a bag full. Like a lot of people I thought the second test line up was some bad joke when I saw the team for this test. Looking at the wicket and how it played on day 1 we would of being better with another seamer then doherty. Our NSP border or incompetent. I read a post from a English fan saying did our NSP watch any of the India vs England series because what happened to us in the first test happened to them. It makes you wonder if we did any research on the previous series whatsoever. Saying that we can pick whatever bowlers but if our batsmen cant make runs then it doesnt matter.
Richard
Guest
Good point. If you want to view a sporting contest look elsewhere!
Richard
Guest
The selection process is purely corrupt, blind freddy can see that.
Richard
Guest
Going way too far there Johnno. Get off the turps :)
Richard
Guest
Through some names in the air or anyone for spin the bottle!
Richard
Guest
Good call Suneer... but if only we had that line up! Come to mention it, India now would love that line up. It just goes to show the more things change the more they stay the same.:)
Praveen
Guest
I love the nick name, koala khawaja, this will catch on
Praveen
Guest
Khawaja is a must for the next match but some if the other names being mentioned can't be picked as they are unfortunately not in the squad
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Isn't Watson coming home for the birth of his child, and Bird is out for six weeks or so. I haven't seen anywhere that any replacemrents are nbeing flown in, meaning only the remaining 15 will be selected from. Slim pickings.
Jayden
Guest
What about Jacques? Ashes wise he's played in England for his whole career and averages 49 for Australia... Only 33 as well
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
india will bat until lunch on day four, make over 650, then bowl us out before lunch on the 5th, Inverarity needs to be sacked; we'll be lucky to win one test in England at this rate and will struggle to even draw the series at home
Sanjay
Guest
Barnsey i like your side but given Marsh is injured for the next 2 months he won't be playing the next test. So the side for next test would be: Warner Watson Hughes Clarke Khawaja Henriques Wade Hauriy Pattinson Siddle Bird\\
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
good but not incredible i think harbajahn would have got a century with the bowling dished up today
jamesb
Guest
Terrible day by Australia. In a sad way, I am losing interest in this test series, thanks mainly to some ordinary selections like Maxwell and Doherty, and all too often batting collapses. For the benefit of Australian cricket, Australia needs to get beaten 4-0 in this test series. That way there would be no BS or spin by either Clarke, the NSP or from CA. Australia can put in a handy XI on the park with the inclusions of Rogers, Khawaja and O'Keefe. However, are the NSP really doing their job?
Barnsey
Guest
How can such a great player and captain (Clarke) be so poor at selecting a good Aussie team. Lyon and Doherty were always going to go poorly. Both are barely state level cricketers!! Cowan is just not up to it and as much as I want to see Hughes go well, he just can't play spin bowling. My team: Warner Watson S.Marsh Clarke Khawaja(want Hughes but not in India) Henriques(deserves a fair go now even though he shouldn't have got a run to begin with) Wade O'keefe Pattinson Siddle Bird(could take Lyon if pitch turns) Best Australian team in my opinion -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Sanjay
Guest
Usman Koala Khawaja will come in for next match but don't expect 1 guy to be the saviour, all batsman including Watson and Hughes need to stand up as we can't just leave it all up to Clarke and a new batsman coming in for his first test in India. Cowan has to be dropped now.
Rob Barrow
Guest
GeniuneTailender i feel the pain mate, Cowan must go, regardless of how much of a nice guy he is he has to go. Khawaja has to come in for the next game and stick with him for at least 4 games so he gets a descent run. SOS is not on the tour so we can't do much about that but give Lyon more games and if he fails in this series then its his end. NSP has alot to answer for picking Maxwell, why do we pick half done allrounders instead of specialists, in test cricket it just doesn't work. It won't be a good start to the week tomorrow, i am very dissapointed.
DCNZ
Guest
good job suneer thanks...good to get updates when on the road in sydney today? how good was pujara today?
chris b
Guest
The question for me is how the last two selection panels, plus a lot of other ex-players seem to get it wrong, or at least be at odds with a lot of informed cricket fans. Is there something we're missing? Previous aus selection oddities were often down to state rivalries (the 1926 ashes team for example with kippax nt selected), but that doesn't seem the case here. It doesn't make sense. Any thoughts?