Australia is potentially one good partnership from retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
As it stands, five days of cricket may well be enough to end India’s hopes of regaining the silverware.
And that Roarers, will be a magnificent achievement.
India’s skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble both played down the significance of Australia’s victory at Pune, deferring instead to the fact that the pitch was what made the tourists’ spinners look like world beaters.
No such excuses can be put forward for the effort displayed with the willow on day one at Bangalore.
India won the toss. Australia won the day, and likely, the Test.
While the Indian camp did its best to talk down any chance of a post-Pune hangover, it was very much evident at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
India’s hubris in producing a sub-standard pitch for the opening Test may well cost them the series.
It allowed Australia to head to Bangalore brimful of confidence – especially its spinners – while India was scarred, regardless of their protestations otherwise.
Yesterday, its batsmen lacked positivity, the footwork was errant, the game plan to the spinners flimsy, and the ability to apply pressure totally lacking except for a fine hand by opener K L Rahul (90), although he was the beneficiary of two dropped chances.
While it was Steve O’Keefe who flattened the hosts at Pune, it was Nathan Lyon who landed the blows at Bangalore.
He bowled beautifully in the opening Test and followed up again yesterday.
He dismembered the Indian batting on a pitch that was deemed a good batting surface pre-game.
Like Harbhajan Singh of yesteryear, Lyon imparts a lot of over spin with the resultant bounce proving just as big a threat as his side spin.
His 8-50 from 22.2 overs are the best figures by a touring bowler in a Test in India and the sixth best by an Australian bowler anywhere.
O’Keefe also bowled beautifully again, with his 1-40 off 21 overs sufficiently stymying the Indian run flow.
During the innings, he also surpassed Brett Lee’s Australian record of 53 Test wickets against India.
After Abhinav Mukund fell for a duck to Mitchell Starc, India progressed to 1-72 before Lyon claimed Cheteshwar Pujara right on lunch with a classic off-spinner’s dismissal with the ball turning from outside off, bouncing, catching the edge, then the pad and then the hands of Peter Handscomb at short leg.
The middle session brought Kohli to the crease.
He moved to a dozen before he produced a brain fade on par with his second innings dismissal at Pune when he lost off-stump to O’Keefe without offering a shot.
On this occasion, he opted to shoulder arms to a ball that cannoned into his pads en route to leg stump.
His referral was farcical as the forensic evidence showed the ball smashing full-on into the leg peg.
It was the shot of a man whose brain was weighed down by the cataclysmic loss at Pune.
India feeds off Kohli’s batting, much as Australia does off its skipper.
Currently, he is plumbing the depths.
Each of his three dismissals in this series – he flashed at a wide one from Starc to fall for a second ball duck in the first innings of the opening Test – have been those of a man whose mind is currently addled.
The last time Kohli experienced a trough like this was in England in 2014.
In that series, he was twice out not offering a shot – bowled for a duck at Lord’s by Liam Plunkett and leg before to Chris Jordan at The Oval.
He ended the five Tests with 134 runs at 13.4. India led 1-0 after two Tests before losing 3-1.
In this series, he has 25 runs from three innings.
Lyon’s resurrection has been astonishing.
Had it not been for a calf injury to O’Keefe ahead of the Adelaide Test against South Africa, Lyon may not have been in the starting eleven in India.
After failing to make an impact in Sri Lanka and a lacklustre start to the home summer he was destined for the chop after the humiliation of Hobart.
Had he been jettisoned for the final South Africa Test, and with no Sheffield Shield cricket ahead of this series and with Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar in the touring party he could have been on the outer.
And, indeed, had the roles been reversed yesterday and O’Keefe had been the one to claim the eight scalps Lyon’s hopes of being the primary spinner come the Ashes next summer would have been tenuous.
As it sits currently, Lyon has 13 wickets in the series at 9.5 and O’Keefe 13 at 8.5.
Between them, they have outplayed India at its own game.
Lyon now sits on 241 Test wickets. Eight more and he will go past Richie Benaud into eighth position all-time for Australia, with Shane Warne the only spinner ahead of him.
And, let us not forget, he is yet to turn 30.
Resuming on day two at 0-40, and just 149 in arrears, Australia will be looking to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Given they will likely need to bat last to win the match the sooner they do so the better as the pitch will certainly deteriorate through days four and five.
Thus far in the series, India has batted in three innings, faced 145 overs, lost 30 wickets, and scored 401 runs.
From an Australian fan’s perspective, dreams do come true.
Don Freo
Guest
I remember Ian Chappell once saying there was an innings when he forgot he had Kerry O'Keefe in the side and didn't bowl him. I think Steve Smith needs to look to the gully more. Marsh has bowled 5 really tight overs in this Test and it is easy runs that have eased India back into the match. Marsh will dry them up...and produce wickets. If not for himself, the others will cash in. It is just good policy to use all the tools and add the variety.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
What I find off Don is the lack of Mitch Marsh at the bowling crease in the series, especially this match with the up and down nature of the pitch. Australia had bowled 196 overs in the series before Marsh was introduced for his third over of the series deep in IND's second innings at Bangalore.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
There is no doubt at all Alan that Lillee had an aura and persona like few others.
Don Freo
Guest
Ridiculous! McGrath had no opposition and the Saffas did? Bradman had no opposition either but you never accept that argument. McGrath's no good just because you don't rank Tendulkar, Dravid, Sangakkara,Jayawardene, Laxmann, Sehwag, Kallis, Graeme Smith... Compare how many times Donald and Steyn bowled against minnows like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and how many times McGrath did. I don't know...but I know it helped Murali's numbers so probably theirs too.
Dave
Guest
Glenn, while my reply is a bit late, I have to wonder whether Wade's miss off Pujara early on mightn't count as huge. His gloves were so far away from the outside edge it looked like it might have been an impossible chance as the ball went straight into his pads. But it was a straightforward edge and I think hardcore keepers might tell you that he should have been tracking the outside edge, not anticipating huge offspin as he did. But it's hard to be definitive on this one. Not sure of your point about Smith. Are you saying he was lucky? First of all, two of the three chances were very difficult and none of them were bad shots. Second, just looking at chances is the wrong way to look at luck. A play and miss is just as lucky as an edge or shot that is dropped. And on these pitches, whether someone is minimising risk in the way they defend, given that you can't stop some going past the edge. You have to look at the overall way someone plays and it would be unfair to say that Smith played anything other than well. And thirdly, it's the job of keepers not to drop catches or miss stumpings. It's a higher standard than applies to other fielders, though the Aussies haven't caught badly. And I have the sneaking suspicion that Handscombe dropped one at short cover in First Test because idiots like Wade (worst offender), Smith, Warner, or the bowlers yelled 'catch it'. If there is one way to slightly affect the concentration of someone about to catch a ball, this is it. It never happened before Warne and co started doing it to con the umpires into bad-pad decisions in the 90s. It has now become industrial scale stupidity every time the ball goes slightly in the air.
Dave
Guest
As Glenn says, Steyn and Donald both have strike rates better than McGrath and their averages are only fractionally behind his, i.e about 0.5. And McGrath didn't bowl against the best batting line up of his time, I.e. Australia. So "light years ahead" is a ridiculous claim. If you were to go on averages alone, we might as well say that Vernon Philander is better than all of them. Actually, if I was to take one bowler as next after Lillee to include in the best ever team, apart from Ambrose, it is the guy who sits between Steyn and Donald on the all time averages list - Richard Hadley. One reason you don't just go with averages is because some guys play past their prime, eg Viv Richards, who started to decline eyesight wise in his late thirties. That's why he his career average was behind guys like Tendulkar, Sangakarra, Kallis. But anyone who saw him at his peak would take him ahead of them anytime. Best measure of "who is best" might be to look at the best continuous 80% span of a career.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
Don, saying McGrath is "way ahead of Steyn" is a very big call. Any man who can claim a Test wicket every 41 deliveries and average 22.3 through 85 Tests is right up there with any bowler in any era. His strike rate per wicket is phenomenal. Donald's stroke rate of 47 and average of 22.2 isn't too shabby either.
Glenn Mitchell
Expert
I wasn't proclaiming victory John. As I stated AUS was potentially one good partnership away from batting IND out of the match in their first innings. They were unable to produce it as Rahane & Pujara did in the final session on day three to bat through without loss and add an unbroken 92. AUS will find it tough from here to win the match. Hats off to IND. After three very tentative innings with the bat they showed some intent and positivity and as a result currently hold the whip hand.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
A wonderful first two days for us but its a little early to be proclaiming a test victory. In fact, with India currently 120 runs in front with 6 wickets in hand, this game looks about 80 runs from the series being squared. Especially, with us batting last on this pitch and Jedaja looking very dangerous with ball in hand. You may be right about one good partnership away from a result, but it could just as easily be a Pujara / Rahane partnership setting up a series squaring victory for the home side. I do love your optimism and the positive expectation it produces.
AlanC
Guest
Lillee had an aura that McGrath didn't. Lillee had, much like Wally Lewis, the ability to change a game just through will as much as skill.
Don Freo
Guest
Dave, "... or EVEN Steyn"? McGrath is way ahead of Steyn and light years ahead of Donald.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Mentioning those Super Tests doesn't actually strengthen your argument. While Lillee no doubt bowled well, his average in that series was still higher than McGrath's career average. And the Super Tests were notorious for favouring the quicks, Richards and Chappell, possibly the two greatest batsmen since Border, both averaged over 50 and after that I was pretty slim pickings for batsmen. You pick on McGrath's statistics by pointing out how "easy" he had it in the Windies, but don't mention that he spearheaded our first victory there in decades in '95 when everyone else broke down. He also averaged less in Asia than Lillee's overall average - that's almost beyond words. But I must admit, when you talk to people who have seen both bowl, Lillee always seems to be the preferred pick. Perhaps perception simply cannot be overcome when there's so little between them. As to the others you've mentioned, he's definitely better than Donald and just above Steyn (who gets points for bowling some much in a batsman's era). Ambrose might pip him.
Dave
Guest
Glenn - you sneaky so and so, you've been looking up Cricinfo again! But seriously, a very fair point, and evidence of why we must put McGrath among the greatest. However, when it comes to comparing two greats in different eras with similar records, I would go beyond the pure numbers and look at sheer quality of impact, as well as some of the fine print. For example his years in World Series Cricket and the 71-72 Rest of the World Series, all against mostly great players, are not included. Eg In nine "Supertests" (four in Australia and five in the West Indies) during 1978–79, Lillee captured 46 wickets at 22.5 average. Whereas the one Test he played in WI in 73 was the one he broke down and didn't play for the rest of the series. And against the WI he was up against greats who had career averages in high 40s and above (Richards, Lloyd, Greenidge, Rowe, Haynes, Fredericks) all of whom had averages ten points higher than most of the guy's McGrath was against, bar Lara and Chanderpaul. In '99 in WI Glenn had a great series averaging 18, but 4 of the top 6 were such great names as Adrian Griffiths, S Ragoonath, Dave Joseph and Sherwin Campbell (no I couldn't remember the first three either). The England teams McGrath was up against were also fairly weak, with most of the main batsman averaging under 40. I would also look at the way Lillee changed from tear away to supremely skilful seam bowler after his nearly career ending back injury. McGrath's record in the sub-continent is evidence of his greatness, sure. But there is a reason Lillee was selected in Wisden's Team of the Century and I don't think that if the period had been extended a few more years McGrath would have made the all-time best list ahead of, say, Ambrose, Donald or even Steyn, though only by the merest of whiskers.
Don Freo
Guest
The Kiwi gets all the wickets for NSW...Lyon and SOK are the support act to Will.
Don Freo
Guest
And Lillee is West Australian...C'Mon Glenn! Fudge the numbers.
Don Freo
Guest
The Indians will tell you that Lyon's current opposition is the greatest batting line up of all time.
Don Freo
Guest
...and he probably is better than they were. Give me an argument that is not statistical.
Don Freo
Guest
Rob....that point is as wrong as the other 17 times you have made it.
Don Freo
Guest
Everyone knows that, Rob. It's almost a cliche...not an aphorism. Have some fun predicting! If the pitch is going to grub like the Mitch Marsh dismissal, Marsh is actually the bowler who might benefit most from it.
Don Freo
Guest
You've got the two 60s. Is the ton coming from Wade or...when you're hot, you're hot...will the ton come from The GOAT?