Australia’s unlikely pair of Steve Smith (92) and tail-ender Mitchell Starc (99) put on 97 runs for the eighth wicket in the Mohali Test against India yesterday. Thanks to this late order resistance Australia totalled 408.
Match on, we thought. But were proved wrong again.
Their glory was short-lived as within two hours they were eclipsed by India’s debutant left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan. The moustached Indian played a magnificently breathtaking innings which will be remembered for a long time.
Shikhar in Hindi means hunt and he hunted the attenuated Australian attack as it has seldom been slaughtered in their 136 years of Test history.
It was heart-breaking for an Australian to see fast bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson sitting idly in the pavilion, a punishment from their management for not doing their “home work” last week.
And who benefitted from this tactless and senseless decision?
The Indian batsmen, especially their inexperienced openers!
With Murali Vijay (unbeaten on 83 with 10 fours and two sixes), Dhawan (185 not out with 33 sparkling fours and two sixes off only 168 balls) put on 283 runs for the unbroken opening stand against a much-weakened Aussie attack.
Also why pick three spinners on a pitch which was equally favourable to pace and spin?
Dhawan’s debut century was the quickest in Test history as it came off only 85 balls. But there was drama before he had faced a ball.
It was very sporting of Australians not to appeal as the debutant was accidentally “mankaded” by Starc as he bowled the first ball of the innings.
The camaraderie between the opponents has been the best aspect of the series so far.
The Indians had applauded Starc’s fighting 99 just before lunch yesterday and Michael Clarke’s men heartily congratulated Dhawan at stumps.
It was an innings to remember as he attacked Australia’s quickies and spinners with a range of spectacularly classy strokes. It was as if we were watching David Gower at his scintillating best.
Having hit 33 sparkling fours so far, Dhawan needs to hit five more fours today to break England’s RE ‘Tip’ Foster’s record of smashing 37 fours in his debut masterpiece of 287 against Australia in Sydney way back in 1903-04.
Dhawan also requires only 15 more runs today to become only the sixth batsman to hit a double century in his Test initiation.
The others are Foster as mentioned above, Jacobus Rundolph (222 not out, South Africa v. Bangladesh, Chittagong, 2002-03), Lawrence Rowe (214, West Indies v. New Zealand, Kingston, 1971-72), Mathew Sinclair (214, New Zealand v. West Indies, 1999-2000) and Brendon Kuruppu (201 not out, Sri Lanka v. New Zealand, Colombo, 1986-87).
Having added 370 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara for the second wicket in the previous Test in Hyderabad, Vijay has to add only 17 more runs this morning with Dhawan to join the rare “club” of those who have added 300 plus runs in two consecutive Test innings in a series.
Australia has to win this Test and the following one in Delhi next week to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. But even Napoleon would call this impossible.
Deepak Shah
Guest
Suresh Raina will be the hunter Kersi..................he will be hunting for another test cap! And Watson will reach the "Shikhar" of his career by cptaining for the first time!! May not be very pleasant debut as the national captain, but will enhance his bio!!
Deepak Shah
Guest
Hi Kersi, Shikhar in sanskrit means "Peak". In Hindi also it means the same. It is different from "Shikar" means hunt and indeed parents would be appaled to name their child so. Shikhar Dhawan as his name suggests was perhaps named so and destined to sit at the "shikhar" of the debutant ton scorers!!! But nice article, have been your fan for a long time.
B2
Guest
Hello Kersi ! I mentioned as a comment in one of your earlier articles in The Roar that Watson would be a better choice than Clarke. Ironically now , with Australia 3 down Watson might lead Australia AND might turn Australia's fortunes around , WHAT THEN ?
Bearfax
Guest
Ditto Red. CA have been missing out big time in seeing if Khawaja has what some of us think he has. They coul have used this series to test him out. They now lost the opportunity unless a miracle happens and he gets picked for the last test. Is Clarke injured or just sooking a the moment. And thank goodness Hughes has decided to stop fiddling around with the spinners and just get on with it..
Red Kev
Guest
If they aren't gonna play Khawaja they should send him home to play the shield final instead of keeping him from playing cricket for two straight months. CA disgust me.
Rabbits
Guest
Phil Hughes has decided to go for it in Aust's second innings. Props to him. He needed to do something. It'll probably be enough to get picked for the fourth test. What does this mean? No chance for Khawaja.
Bearfax
Guest
I foretold that you would say that
Bearfax
Guest
Hey. I've got half a brain....I think.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, Deepak. Saw the subtle difference between Shikhar and Shikaar. Now who will be the hunter and who'll reach his peak in Mohali tomorrow?
Deepak
Guest
Shikhar (शिखर) - Peak Shikaar (शिकार) - Hunt
Disco
Roar Guru
Why, thank you.
Disco
Roar Guru
Sorry, didn't mean to imply he was in anyone's side... at least not anyone with half a brain. Was merely making an observation. Doherty really should be consigned to district and List A cricket but the NSP works in strange ways.
Bearfax
Guest
oooo. Lyon just got a wicket. India are one down. We'll beat them now for sure.
Bearfax
Guest
He wasnt in my side.....no. no. I checked again. Not in my side. Maybe it was Red Kev.
Bearfax
Guest
Oh Disco. You are such a prodigious prognosticator. Are your charges high for a reading. I'll bring my own chicken entrails.
Disco
Roar Guru
No side with Doherty in it has a chance of winning a Test match.
Disco
Roar Guru
Or Johnson will bowl like he did for most of the past two Ashes series and on the last tour of South Africa - taking very few wickets, getting carted and looking like a nervous wreck.
Disco
Roar Guru
Pujara's better than Vijay, though.
Bearfax
Guest
I'd agree with you Red if we had an alternative. But frankly Cowan, despite his creditable last innings, is also not going to win us games against SA and England on their home grounds. I suspect Hughes away from India, if his confidence hasnt been entirely shot, may succeed opening with Warner. I know what you're going to say about that one so you dont have to. But I'm still convinced there is a fine test cricketer there waiting to finally burst out. But who else is there. Rogers comes to mind but he is 35. It may be that we should stick with a 35 year old for a year or two until someone else comes along. The team I chose was only for the fourth test. The Ashes team in my mind would be significantly different, what with Bird, O'Keefe and maybe Sandhu and Ahmed et al available for the bowlers and Burns, Doolan, Cosgrove needing to be considered in the batting. and maybe Neville for the wicket keeping
Bearfax
Guest
Just as a further note regarding Johnson, his reputation doesnt show up much in his figures. Certainly Pattinson and Bird are stand out bowlers (wish Bird was available). But Johnson has as a good strike rate as Starc and a better one than Siddle, though Siddles average is slightly better. All of the fast bowlers have better strike rates and averages than the main spinners, though Maxwell because of his late success in the second test has managed to get himself a decent strike rate and average. But what it says is that the fast bowlers are consistently taking wickets at a better average and strike rate than the spinners. Sticking with four fast bowlers and Henriques seems likely to get us a better result.