Australia yesterday wasted a gilded opportunity to bat themselves into a dominant position in the fourth Test on the fastest, bounciest pitch of the series at Dharamsala.
While the tourists will be disappointed with posting only 300 after being 1-144, the sharp lift and jagging seam movement Josh Hazlewood got in the last over of the day showed there is plenty in the pitch for the quicks.
Earlier, the first and second sessions could scarcely have been more different. India were woeful in the first session, fielding awfully, bowling without discipline and distinctly lacking intensity in the absence of firebrand skipper Virat Kohli, who was ruled out through injury.
This sloppiness was evident from the first ball of the day when Karun Nair turfed an edge after Australian opener David Warner aimed a hopeful drive at a Bhuvneshwar Kumar outswinger.
That was followed by a sequence of misfields which gifted up to a dozen runs to Warner and captain Steve Smith as they put on a 134-run stand. While Warner looked scratchy throughout his knock, Smith batted with remarkable confidence and fluency.
The Indians seemed clueless as to how to bowl to Smith, which is not surprising considering he’s scored seven tons in his past eight Tests against them and has piled up 482 runs at 80 in this series. They tried all manner of tactics – targeting his stumps, bowling well wide of off stump, and even had their two right-arm quicks make the highly-unusual move of bowling around the wicket to him.
Throughout all of this, Smith cantered along without a worry in the world. But his dominance was not enough to prevent the Indians from charging back into the contest in the second session on a back of a wonderful spell by debutant Kuldeep Yadav.
Every Australian batsman, bar Smith, was flummoxed by the Chinaman bowler. While he displayed some impressive variety, including a well-concealed wrong’un, Kuldeep’s best asset was his accuracy.
His length, in particular, was exquisite, something which is truly rare among wrist spinners, who tend to serve up a decent number of long hops, half volleys and full tosses.
In the last session the TV coverage displayed Kuldeep’s pitch map, which showed that not a single one of his more than 100 deliveries had landed on a short length. Unlike India’s finger spinners, who were frequently punished on the drive when they overpitched, Kuldeep was able to toss his deliveries right up because of the sharp dip he earned.
This deceptive drop accounted for both Peter Handscomb and Pat Cummins, each of whom thought they were to the pitch of the ball only for it to dip at the last moment. After tricking Handscomb, Kuldeep then did the same thing to Glenn Maxwell except with a different method.
He landed a beautiful wrong ‘un just outside Maxwell’s leg stump and got it to turn across the right hander and clatter his off peg. Kuldeep missed out on a deserved five-wicket haul but will know that he was the difference between Australia posting a mediocre total or a potentially massive one.
Australia, however, are far from being out of this Test. The Dharamsala pitch is known as the most pace-friendly deck in India and it offered generous assistance to the fast bowlers yesterday.
Hazlewood’s first ball landed on a full length yet screamed through off the pitch, taken above head height by keeper Matt Wade, who had helped nurse Australia to a semi-respectable total with a plucky knock of 57.
His fourth delivery seamed alarmingly away from opener KL Rahul, who followed this movement and almost edged behind.
This deck will give Australia’s match-winning quicks far more help than any of the other three pitches in this series. If Hazlewood and Pat Cummins bowl well tomorrow they will pose a significant challenge to the Indian batsmen. Australia’s spinners, meanwhile, will have been encouraged by the fast turn and sharp bounce which India’s slow bowlers achieved.
While it is hard to predict how the pitch will act in the second half of the Test, it was a fantastic day one surface which brought every type of bowler into the match.
Don Freo
Guest
Neither Khawaja nor Swepson bowl as well as Lyon.
doogs
Guest
John I love Ussie. He is great for the team. I would love to see him there
Don Freo
Guest
You are reading what is not there. There's a good chance that, having arrived at the elite level, Renshaw and Handscomb have a better handle on technique than those that haven't found that formula. Renshaw's strength is that he DOESN'T play across the line. He is as straight as. Handscomb's footwork is his greatest strength.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
That may be a well-worn cliche of ours but selections to support that cliche are pretty rare. Teams like India and Pakistan seem far more comfortable in choosing a 17 year old for their national team. I think we believe, in principle, that the cliche is true, but in practice, want a few seasons of consistent First Class returns to prove a player isn't a "one season wonder". Consider Jordan Silk's career a case study
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Australia had another regular century maker in the the top six before this series. His name is Usman Khawaja and since Nov '15 he has scored five test hundreds. His form on turning wickets counts against him, but Warner's lack of runs In India is perfectly acceptable.
ak
Roar Guru
So many ifs ????? But Rahul has got another fifty and Pujara is looking monk again.
Bring Back...?
Guest
Am I reading too much into the techniques of Renshaw and Handscomb? I reckon Renshaw plays across the line far too much and Handscomb's foot/pad were nowhere near the pitch of that ball. The terrible shot made the ball look great. The deliveries that took Maxwell and Smith were far more deserving. It's all been said re Marsh.
doogs
Guest
so what. Warner's is higher than Kohli's. It's not really that stirring
doogs
Guest
It is logistically impossible to get the team everybody wants. There is no way you can keep people happy. After Hobart we were going for batsmen that hung around and had a bit of steel. We are much better at that now. Handscomb definitely has the potential to win games, but he has been batting like a winner in India and getting out. He has looked good in every innings. He is a class act. But he has got out when he is nearly set. Sometimes those guys need a fighting fifty. His innings in the last test was brilliant. His "fighting fifty" saved the match. We all have an opinion and want something. The main thing is how do we react when we don't get what we want.
doogs
Guest
I feel that might be the case too. I would say about 100 short but not much in that. I would love to see an attack of Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc and Pattison on this pitch. There is still enough in it. Imagine having those guys fit and available. I feel we are close to that. My concern is when Cummins and Hazlewood finish their spells and the spinners come on. Australia handled Ashwin and Jadeja very well. It was only the surprise package of Kuldeep that bamboozled us.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Kohli played a Trump-Card yesterday by playing Kuldeep Yadav. He had to drop himself, otherwise he had to drop one bowler or a batsman either Rahane or Nair which he thought will not be correct. He himself was in poor form and to some extend injured anyway. I think Australia missed a Trump-Card by not playing Khawaja and Swepson in this condition.
Rob
Guest
The great thing about this Test series is everyone agrees the next session could be critical to the result. Is 300 a par score? Has Smith played a match winning knock? Did Australia miss a golden opportunity to retain the trophy? The ball appears to be moving around and the quicks may decide the game. The spinner may have a big role to play. Looking forward to another day of great cricket.
Nudge
Guest
Yeah fair enough Ronan. I didn't see that much yesterday probably only between over 60 and 80 and not one ball spun more than 2 inches. Sok Wade and Lyon looked completely in control. Think we have to do the damage in first 50 overs because the ball must have softened between overs 50 and 80
Rock
Guest
Thanks for the replies, well hopefully our bowlers can use the pitch as well as the Indians then, should be good viewing today.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Nudge it's certainly much, much more bowler friendly than the Ranchi pitch anyway. Hazlewood and Cummins are well suited to it and Lyon will enjoy the bounce on offer.
Nudge
Guest
Hope you're right about the state of the game, but I struggle to see it as "bowler friendly"
Darren
Guest
Fingers crossed for Lyon's finger. Sounds like a great pitch for him.
Alan
Guest
So many "expert" and now hilarious reasons given why a "chinaman" would never be successful in the comments section too - brought tears to my eyes as he unravelled us yesterday...
BurgyGreen
Guest
I think Cummins and Hazlewood need to tear into them in the first session, have them 3 or 4 down at lunch. They've picked a short batting lineup so if we bowl well we can run through them. Otherwise, we are going to be looking at a 150+ run deficit and in massive trouble by stumps on Day 3.
Rob JM
Guest
Their top 3 are in fantastic form along with Saha. However on bowler friendly pitches where the tail is facing not exhausted bowlers we have seen how non specialist batsmen struggle. Game is in the balance till india Bat.