Steve Smith’s century and Glenn Maxwell’s breakthrough performance pushed Australia to 4-299 at stumps on day one of the third Test against India.
Smith and Maxwell dominated the hosts on Thursday, sharing an unbeaten 159-run stand in Ranchi.
It is already Australia’s highest fifth-wicket Test partnership in India and comfortably the highest stand in the ongoing four-Test series.
Smith’s class, Maxwell’s composure, India’s misfields and Virat Kohli’s shoulder injury have handed Australia the perfect platform to push for a victory that will ensure they retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Smith won arguably the most important toss of his career then batted for 320 minutes with the same determination he has showed throughout the series, finishing 117 not out.
Kohli will have scans on Thursday afternoon, having injured himself diving to stop a boundary. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane failed to inspire teammates or come up with fields that made Smith or Maxwell sweat.
“It’s two different captains. Kohli and Rahane probably do things a bit differently, but I didn’t really notice things that were different,” Matt Renshaw said.
Renshaw noted even before Kohli left the field, India were a lot less chirpy compared to the preceding Test. Kohli and Smith had a pre-match meeting with match referee Richie Richardson, who encouraged them to ensure there weren’t as many blow-ups and send-offs as what transpired in Bangalore.
“They still came out pretty hard but I think there just probably weren’t as many words out there today,” the 20-year-old opener said.
“But they still played pretty hard cricket and made it tough for us.”
Widely expected to be the worst pitch of the three produced in the series so far, Smith made it look remarkably flat but would have worried about running out of partners when the visitors slipped to 4-140.
Maxwell, playing the fourth Test of his career and first since 2014, steadied with his longest ever international innings in any format.
The allrounder finished 82 not out after facing 147 deliveries. He waited some 56 balls before striking a boundary.
It was a different kind of potency to what Maxwell has demonstrated in ODI and Twenty20 cricket, but exactly what Australia needed. Maxwell’s dig was notably the highest score by an Australian No.6 since Smith’s century against South Africa in 2014.
“He’s a class player and he showed that he could do it in Test cricket,” Renshaw said.
“You hear about this in the media a lot, that he’s a bit of a cowboy.
“But he just played some good cricket shots today.”
The body language of Rahane, who threw the ball to part-timer Murali Vijay late and would have dismissed Maxwell for 74 if he opted for a review, suggested he’d almost ran out of ideas to dismiss the two well-set batsmen.
“Tomorrow’s first session is going to be one of the most crucial in this match,” Renshaw said.
“If we can win that session we go a long way to winning the Test.”
Craig
Guest
he selected to bat at 8 and was a spinner when he first t started.... He played 2 tests in 2010, one in 2011 and didn't return until 2013. How exactly was it clear that a number 8 plodder who took 3 years to cement a position, was going to become the worlds best batsman?
dave
Guest
Sorry my post was a bit confusing. I'm a big Maxwell fan and feel we have missed out on a lot of good years by not picking him earlier. I was just trying to point out how he's been so unfairly treated i.e. anything under 50 and he's dropped.While Mitch gets 20 tests based on potential.
BurgyGreen
Guest
Kohli blows AB away in T20 internationals, in which AB has been fairly disappointing over his career. They are about on par in the Test and ODI arenas. So Kohli is the clear all-format king for me. However, in discussions about all-time greatness, Tests are what matter to me. If both Smith and Kohli retired today I would rate Smith much higher than Kohli. He has pulled lightyears clear of the pack in the long format.
BurgyGreen
Guest
The buildup of pressure doesn't force him to play the shot. It's a factor, but he still should've decided not to. The fact that he almost got out in the same way the ball before outweighs the pressure. And don't take this as me bagging Renshaw out. I am a huge fan of his. Doesn't stop me from calling out a bad shot when I see one.
matth
Guest
Hear, hear.
matth
Guest
ABDV has a better average in tests and ODI's than Kohli. So to say there is daylight second in limited overs is not quite right. ABDV is definitely in the discussion.
AlanC
Guest
Then you don't understand the build up of pressure that can result in a batsman playing at a ball that should have been left, plain and simple.
Rob JM
Guest
The word "attack" was not part or that english bowling line up though.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
England scored 477 in the recent fifth test and lost by an innings as India rattled off 750 and then ran through England on the fifth day. I'd certainly be hoping for one or more of the Aussie bowlers to be on fire and run through India for a big first innings lead, but history in India does suggest that, until both teams have batted, high score or low score, it's really hard to make a lot of predictions about what results are possible.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I think even over 400 India still might fancy the chase. In the England series that's just been completed, in both the last two tests England made 400+ batting first and lost by an innings in both those matches as India went on to score 631 and 759 and then rip through England in their second innings. So I really think these two need to keep going and really bat big. They need to assume they are going to have to score most of their runs for the test in this innings, and they want to make it as difficult as possible for India to achieve a first innings lead. Plus, the longer they bat the more they might push India's first innings onto a more wearing pitch. This first session is crucial. India are likely to throw everything at them and if they can weather it and come out the other side and really bat big, then that puts Australia in a strong position. If India can get some early wickets, they can still bowl Australia out for 350-400 and they'd seriously fancy themselves to bat big on the back of that. Of course, they would have fancied themselves for a big first innings lead in Pune also. You never know until both teams have batted. One or more of SOK, Lyon, Cummins, Hazlewood could bowl brilliantly and rip through India for another low score.
BurgyGreen
Guest
100% agree. If Maxwell had been persisted with three years ago I'd wager he'd be a regular batting at 5 by now. He has a very solid basic technique. The commentators' comparisons to Ricky Ponting late in the day were not inapt. In particular Maxwell's strength was positive footwork against the spinners, allowing him to rotate the strike and not get pinned down. Textbook calculated aggression, and it paid dividends.
E-Meter
Guest
They were still the best at the time.
BurgyGreen
Guest
I think the leadup makes it look even worse - he'd almost got out the ball before in the exact same manner, yet he played the same shot again to a wide one with a full slip cordon in place. It was a ball that should've been left, plain and simple.
AlanC
Guest
It was the several deliveries before Renshaw's dismissal that got him out - excellent bowling from Umesh - the get out shot in isolation looked bad but you needed to see the leadup.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
agree Chris, this looks to be a very good batting wicket. They need to make it count and post 450 plus. Anything under 400 and India will fancy the chase. Smithy and Maxy need to go on with it today, our tail is a bit longer now Starcy is out. Interesting point regarding Rahane not reviewing Maxy late on. It looked to have come off his glove so surprised they didn't review. Would have been a big wicket late in the day and a new batsmen in at a very tricky time. Anyway head down today batsmen and keep pushing on.
Rob JM
Guest
We definitely want 450 to put pressure on india. If we get reverse swing like the indians then cummins and hazlewood are going to be a handfull too.
Rob JM
Guest
Maxwell proved his ability in the world cup and should have been the first choice the moment the position was vacant.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Great day for Australia. Hopefully Maxwell and Smith completely take it away from India today. We score 450 this innings and this Test only has 2 possible results....
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I'd be careful about saying the Aussies are in control yet. If this really is more the sort of pitch seen for the England series where lots of runs can be scored then Australia really needs to make this stick with a 500+ score. If one of these two get out early then India could still bowl Australia out for 350 and have the potential for a 200+ first innings lead. I'm really hoping for these two to get to get through the first session unscathed and turn these good scores into really big scores before I'll be happy that Australia are in any measure of control.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Agreed. Really happy to see how he's batting too. Most of the big scores he's made in Shield cricket for Victoria seem to have been done at a run a ball or better, suggesting he's often just gone for it and if it comes off he gets a hundred if it doesn't then he gets a low score. Here he seems to be really using his brain and playing a proper test innings. It's great to see. He's always seemed like the sort of player who's got the talent but too often leaves his brain in the dressing room when he goes out to bat. Hopefully this innings is the start of putting to rest the #6 spot for a while yet.