Australian batting woes, Mitchell Starc's form, India's potent attack and more: Five talking points from the first Test

It ended up going right down to the wire, with Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood threatening to pull off the most spectacular of last-wicket wins, but in the end India were just too good for Australia in the first Test of the summer, claiming a 31-run win at the Adelaide Oval.

Cheteshwar Pujara was the difference between the sides, his superb hundred in the first innings and 71 in the second both outstanding knocks on what was an excellent Test match pitch – there was enough in it for the bowlers, batsmen had to get set before playing expansively (except for the unbeaten Nathan Lyon), and it ended up producing a spectacular game of cricket.

The series now heads to Perth, where the first ever Test at Optus Stadium will begin on Friday. Before that, there’s plenty to digest from Adelaide.

It’s not all bad news for Australian fans
Positive articles on the Australian men’s cricket team have been few and far between since April, but despite this being a home loss, there were a few bright spots for Tim Paine’s side.

For all the attention on Mitchell Starc’s scattergun spell on Day 4, the rest of the bowling attack was typically impressive. Pat Cummins’ two wickets were more misleading than Starc’s five, Josh Hazlewood is as good a fast bowler as there is in world cricket, and Nathan Lyon bowled superbly, picking up eight scalps for the match despite being quite luckless for most of it.

None of that came as any great surprise – everyone has known the quality of this attack for some time now – but their contributions with the bat were also outstanding, and went close to winning an unwinnable match. That fight showed by Tim Paine and the tail is exactly the sort of tough, determined cricket Australian fans want to see.

Further up the order, Marcus Harris showed he is organised enough to play for Australia, even if his scores don’t. He’s worth persevering with for the summer.

Travis Head looks a proper Test batsman. He was undone by a brute of a bouncer early on Day 5, but his first-innings contribution was a fine knock, showcasing some impressive patience, shot selection and technique.

And Shaun Marsh made some runs. Sixty of them. Jokes of that locking him in for a Test berth for the next decade aside, it’s no bad thing when your number four batsman makes an accomplished half-century in the final innings of a match. Just don’t mention his first-innings dismissal.

(AFP Photo/William West)

Should Mitchell Starc play in Perth?
Australia’s bowling attack was one of the few areas not of concern heading into the summer. One lacklustre innings from Mitchell Starc later, though, and there are already questions over the make-up of the attack.

To be fair, Starc’s performance was not all bad. He started the match quite well, leaves Adelaide with five more Test scalps to his name, and chipped in with a vital 28 on Day 5.

But there’s no doubt the big left-armer was far too erratic with the ball – even by Starc’s sometimes-wayward standards – in the second innings, sending down a number of unreachable deliveries down leg which flew to the boundary. In such a close Test, those runs were crucial.

Starc had all the rhythm of a drummer with two left hands on Day 4, but dropping him would still be a premature reaction. If anything, he needs more cricket under his belt, and the second Test on Friday offers the next available first-class game for Starc to play.

If the Optus Stadium pitch is similar to what was dished up in the first ODI of the summer against South Africa, there’ll be plenty on offer for the quicks, and let’s not forget that Starc was able to grab five wickets even when far below his best.

Let’s wait another game or two before consigning Australia’s leading fast bowler from the past two years to the sidelines.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

What’s the answer to Australia’s brittle batting order?
Scoring enough runs was always going to be the biggest challenge for Australia this series – hardly surprising given David Warner and Steve Smith’s suspensions, and the resulting lack of experience in the top six.

And so it proved. Aaron Finch looked lost against the moving ball, escaping a pair only thanks to Ishant Sharma’s long delivery stride. As mentioned earlier, Marcus Harris looked organised enough, but a pair of 26s is a promising start, nothing more.

Usman Khawaja was too easily bogged down, Shaun Marsh played a horrid shot in the first innings before a solid half-century in the second, and Peter Handscomb looked good before getting out to rank shots in both digs. Out of the top six, only Travis Head leaves Adelaide free of criticism.

Finch is surely the man most likely to lose his spot. Khawaja, who fell to Ravi Ashwin in both innings, would be better suited to opening the batting than the Victorian, while Queenslanders Matt Renshaw and Joe Burns both offer good alternate options at the top of the order. In-form New South Welshman Daniel Hughes is another possibility if the selectors want to look left-field.

Changes for Perth, though, would be slightly premature – you can’t possibly expect this side to develop any sort of cohesion if it’s changing every match. Give this order another Test, and only tinker with the line-up if they fail again.

(Photo by Daniel Kalisz – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)

India’s fast bowling attack is the real deal
This crop of Indian quicks was touted as the best to visit Australia in quite some time. They didn’t take long to show why.

Ishant Sharma has improved markedly since his previous tours here, frequently troubling both left- and right-handers, Mohammed Shami was relentless throughout the Test, and Jasprit Bumrah bowled with impressive pace and accuracy despite what we’ll generously call an unorthodox run-up and action.

The three combined for 14 of India’s 20 wickets this match – more than the 11 of their Australian counterparts.

It’s a far cry from previous Indian series here, when the tourists’ pace bowling always offered at least one weak link for home batsmen to exploit.

With Ravi Ashwin bowling like a finger spinner who’s comfortable playing in Australia – a decidedly rare commodity – it’s clear there will be few easy runs on offer for the home batsmen this summer.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

A first Test series win Down Under is here for the taking
For everything that’s made of Australia’s inability to win in Asia, India’s form on these shores over the years has been even less impressive.

Now, though, Virat Kohli’s side have their best chance since World Series Cricket to claim a maiden Test series win here.

We’ve already talked about the unfamiliar strength of their bowling attack, but the batting order is also impressive. What’s concerning for Australia is they made enough runs to win without Virat Kohli – touted as the man the hosts had to stop to have any chance – making many.

Cheteshwar Pujara was sublime in both innings, and deserved to make twin hundreds. Ajinkya Rahane found some form after what’s been a lean 2018, and KL Rahul also looked in good touch in the second innings.

There are still some questions over the other opening spot and number six, but with gifted young opener Prithvi Shaw a chance to return in Perth and no one questioning Rohit Sharma’s ability, only his suitability for Test cricket, those are minor in comparison to Australia’s batting concerns.

With a 1-0 lead under their belts after one Test for the first time in their history, this series is looming as the perfect time for India to break their Australian duck.