Australia have squared up the Border-Gavaskar series with a commanding 146-run win over India in the second Test at Optus Stadium.
The Test hung in the balance for much of the first four days before a brilliant last session with the ball swung the match in Australia’s favour yesterday, and it took just 15 overs for the bowlers to finish the job on Day 5.
Here’s what we learnt from the gripping Test.
Now that was good, hard cricket
If you were to describe how exactly Australian fans want their team to play cricket, this is the Test you’d use as an example. There was no ugly, abusive sledging picked up by the stump microphones, no particularly confrontational scenes between the sides.
Instead, there was plenty of chatter exchanged which could be best described as good-natured – Tim Paine’s quip to Murali Vijay was outstanding – and the Australians showed fight where it mattered.
Tim Paine and Usman Khawaja’s gutsy partnership in the second innings staved off a possible collapse and went a long way to guiding Australia to victory. Aaron Finch came out to bat with a busted hand, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc combined for 36 last-wicket runs when the pitch was tricky to bat on, and the bowlers rallied strongly when India threatened to build a first-innings lead.
That’s not to say everything’s rosy for Justin Langer’s men.
Travis Head looks a Test batsman but got out twice playing like a T20 slasher, questions will surround Finch’s place in the side regardless of whether his finger is healthy, and while two matches is hardly enough of a chance back in the side, few could criticise the selectors if they drop Peter Handscomb following his woeful second-innings dismissal.
But issues around the batting order were expected before the summer started. After what happened in South Africa early in the year, it was critical the Test team started playing a brand of cricket Australian fans can be proud of. That’s exactly what we saw this match.
India got it wrong at the selection table
Before Day 1, Ronan O’Connell outlined why it would be a mistake for India to go with a four-pronged pace attack. They should have listened to him.
By opting to replace the injured Ravi Ashwin with Umesh Yadav and not Ravindra Jadeja, the tourists missed a trick, simultaneously denying themselves a frontline spinner and severely weakening their tail.
Green as the pitch was, it was still a good one for spin bowling. Nathan Lyon, whose dominant form has seen him snare five-fors in both Tests this summer, showed just how effective a world-class spinner could be on the drop-in surface.
The extra bounce undoubtedly helped him, while his straighter deliveries which picked up a couple of key wickets – Ajinkya Rahane in the first innings, Virat Kohli in the second – were exactly the type Jadeja would have threatened Australia’s batting with.
Jadeja would have also given India’s tail some much-needed gumption. Instead, their line-up had a proper ‘six out, all out’ feel to it, never even threatening to add the valuable lower-order runs Australia’s bowlers provided.
Can Australia continue to exploit India’s opening frailty?
India’s top order loomed as the key difference between the two sides heading into this series. And while Kohli, Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have all been a class above their Australian counterparts, the tourists’ opening stocks are a clear weakness.
Murali Vijay and KL Rahul are both yet to reach the half-century mark for the entire series, and that woeful form isn’t limited to the last two matches; their Test averages over the past 12 months are just 18 and 22 respectively.
Young star Prithvi Shaw had been looming as a replacement for one of the underperforming openers, but his ankle injury has now ruled him out for the entire series, with the uncapped Mayank Agarwal added to India’s squad in Shaw’s place.
Argawal’s first-class average of 50 is excellent, but a Test debut facing Josh Hazlewood, a suddenly not-so-droppable Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Lyon at the MCG will be a tough ask.
Whatever way India go with the make-up of their top order, there’s a vulnerability for Australia to exploit, one which could well decide the series.
The Optus Stadium pitch was terrific
Credit must go to curator Brett Sipthorpe for preparing an excellent surface for the first ever Test at Optus Stadium.
It offered pace, sideways movement and periods of inconsistent bounce, but there were also runs to be had for batsmen who applied themselves. More scores of fifty or more were made in Perth than in Adelaide, and there were passages in the game when the pitch looked docile.
That’s what you want for a Test: something which offers assistance to the bowlers without forcing batsmen to concentrate solely on survival. It’s no coincidence that this wicket facilitated an engrossing match which didn’t swing decisively in either side’s favour until late on Day 4.
We’ve been treated to two good surfaces and two excellent matches to start the series. Hopefully, new MCG groundsman Matt Page continues the trend and produces a pitch with plenty of life in it – something recent Boxing Day Tests have been sorely missing.
The crowd… not so much
Great as the Perth pitch was, the crowd there to see it was disappointing. Barely a third of Optus Stadium’s seats were occupied on Day 1 when 20,746 fans turned up, and that was the only day which cracked the 20k mark.
As a comparison, the first Test in Adelaide attracted more than 22,000 spectators every day bar the last, including 30,348 on Day 3.
It’s a meagre turnout, and one which, as luck would have it, would have filled out the WACA Ground nicely – hardly the Test debut the WACA were hoping for.
If the WACA are to get their wish and host a day-night Test despite the issue of a three-hour time difference between Perth and Sydney, they’re going to need far more fans coming through the Optus Stadium turnstiles to watch Test cricket.
Ad-O
Guest
Regarding the crowd, it's almost as if its a bad idea to play a cricket match in a football stadium. Who knew?
Baggio
Guest
Probably because Perth is the best place in Australia in summer to do other outdoor activities. Certainly has better beaches than other capital cities, better climate (Mediterranean climate not humid), huge public open spaces/parks with sweeping views of beaches or swan river/estuary and the city has been revitalised with heaps of new small bars, cafe's and restaurants. Sport is never going to compete over summer, unless its in short bursts and appeal to kids on school holidays - like the BBL or Wildcats (not sure why my beloved Glory aren't getting the crowds - maybe not enough loud music, fireworks and dancing girls).
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Not really.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
So you were part of a sensationally small crowd, eh, Don?:)
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
But you can still eat baked beans and send text messages though, Shaney!
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Plenty of SA ex pats in Perth. That's why they play rugby tests against them there.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Talking about replays, why can't the broadcasters make it very obvious it is not live, by adding a prominent "Replay" sign, or changing some other feature of the screen? It seriously can't be that hard, and would remove the really annoying situation of not knowing if another wicket has actually fallen.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Even from a Sydney-sider, I would hate to see the Boxing Day test moved from the MCG, and doubt it will happen anyway. It, and the New Year pink test in Sydney are traditional fixtures and should remain.
Mango Jack
Roar Guru
Were ticket prices a factor?
Hari
Guest
India desperately need to win the toss. That is it.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
Yes, Finch will evidently still be there for the rest of the series. He's got plenty to prove in the last two matches though.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Through much of Lyon's career he wasn't a patch on the bowler he's developed into now and there was always talk about trying to find someone to replace him. In those discussions, it was always the search for a leggie that seemed to be front of the mind, but in the absence of any decent leggies, any other opportunities have always gone to finger spinners because they've simply been the only options. Doesn't take away from the fact that the search for the next great leggie was something continually talked about for much of Lyon's career up until recently.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I had thought about that and figured that with a normal Perth test I'm at work while most of it is on, and really only get an hour or two in the evening on weekdays when I can watch it anyway, so a day/night test where I can see maybe some of the first two sessions even if I turn off before the end of the last one would probably result in technically being able to actually watch more of it on TV than I can currently, but still don't think the idea of the days cricket ending at midnight or later really is of any appeal to the eastern states, which is the bulk of the TV viewership and therefore the bulk of the money!
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
That's why the first wicket partnership on the first day was soooooo very, very important. That and the last wicket stand of Australia in the 2nd which was the cherry on top.
Munro Mike
Roar Rookie
#anon And Khawaja was very lucky to make it to 30 and ended up with 70 odd to his name but never looked at ease. But - credit to him too - he scored 'ugly' runs. On that first morning against the new ball both Finch and Harris had to fight hard to survive. The right hander and left hander deal with different things - Ishant Sharma's in swingers to Finch are going away from Harris. We saw how Harris got lost in the 2nd innings. It's not easy. What we got from Finch was what we want from an opener. No silly shots. Ability to play and miss and move on. Grinding it out. No one scored runs without an element of luck. And I don't think anyone in that top order is free of technical flaws. What we saw was guys who 'panicked'? Who played rash shots to get out. We didn't see that from Finch.
Paul D
Roar Guru
How can you complain about the crowd numbers when you didn't even go yourself? That's like complaining about the elected government when you didn't bother to vote. You have no skin in the game.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Yep. Strange comment by Simoc
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Then don't make it about you. If you just watch the game, there is no need for personal embarrassment. Head has been terrific...very gutsy and very resilient.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
My seats were in the morning sun. We just got up and sat in the shade. That was the benefit of lots of empty seats.
shaney warne
Roar Rookie
smokers cant watch cricket live anymore. 2 hours without a smoke is ok but not 7