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India have all but secured their first-ever Test series win in Australia by racking up 4-303 on day one in Sydney yesterday.
The tourists became huge favourites from the moment they won the toss, such is the overwhelming reliance of both of these teams on batting first in Tests.
Australia are so vulnerable when they bat second that they needed to dismiss India for a below-par score yesterday to remain in the contest.
They had a chance of doing just that when Ajinkya Rahane was bounced out by Starc for 28, leaving India at 4-228 with the second new ball due in ten overs. But India were shepherded through that tricky period, and then safely through 10 overs with the new ball by man-of-the-moment Cheteshwar Pujara (130no) and newcomer Hanuma Vihari (39no).
Pujara continued his astonishing form, cracking his third ton for the series to take his haul in Australia to 458 runs at 76. Incredibly, that is almost twice the next highest-scorer in the series, Virat Kohli (282), and eons ahead of Australia’s leading batsman Travis Head (217).
In his seven innings, Pujara has scored more runs than Aaron Finch, Mitch Marsh, Peter Handscomb, and Usman Khawaja in their combined 18 innings.
At the risk of overloading you with stats, there’s one more Pujara figure that must be mentioned. The 30-year-old has batted for a mammoth 1,135 balls so far in this series, which equates to 186 deliveries per dismissal.
That underscores just how difficult Australia’s strong and experienced attack have found it to dislodge Pujara. His sturdy defence and seemingly-infinite patience have drained this Australian bowling unit.
They tried bowling wide and he ignored them. They tried bowling full and straight, and he milked them. They tried bowling short and he weathered the blitz.
In the process Pujara has put together what will be looked back upon as the defining series of his career. Not only is it his single most outstanding Test performance, but it has almost single-handedly won India their first series in Australia.
India’s Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates after reaching a century. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Yes, young quick Jasprit Bumrah has been phenomenal. But in the end it has been the grinding batsmanship of Pujara which has been the difference between the sides.
Australia’s sole strength in this current team is their attack and Pujara, alone, has gone a long way to neutralising their threat.
The manner in which he has chipped away at the confidence and stamina of the Australian bowlers has made life much easier for his teammates.
This same role has been filled by superstar Virat Kohli in India’s past few away series. In England and South Africa last year Kohli was a one-man band, churning out runs while the rest of the Indian batsmen laboured.
That included Pujara, who averaged 29 in his seven Tests in those two countries last year. He was even dropped for the first Test in England after being found out by South Africa’s elite pace attack.
Over the last month, however, he has ensured there will be no questions about his place in the side for some time to come.
He’s also ensured there is nothing left in this series for Australia to salvage but pride.
First up the hosts highly-rated attack must rebound from an ordinary first day effort to keep India to less than 400.
Then their weird, cobbled-together batting lineup must defy expectations to construct a competitive first innings total. That looms as a massive task given not one member of their top six is in good form.
Even Usman Khawaja, their premier batsman in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner, has had a very poor series, averaging just 27.
Usman Khawaja (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
With the out-of-touch pair of Marnus Labuscagne and Peter Handscomb bizarrely parachuted into the number three and six spots, respectively, India will have to wait a long time before they again get to bowl at an Australian Test batting lineup this feeble.
Australia have no Pujara. Australia have no momentum. Australia have no hope.