STEPHEN KING

O’Keefe confounds critics to crush India

STEVE O’Keefe ( pictured) has shattered 84 years of Test history to pilot Australia to one of its most famous wins.

Written off as the worst Australian team to ever tour India, a great sporting upset is now firmly on the cards as a captain’s century from Steve Smith powered his chargers to an emphatic 333-run triumph in Pune. Not so long ago O’Keefe thought his Test ca- reer was over, but the 33-yearold’s extraordinary match haul of 12-70 now stands alone as the best individual figures by an overseas spinner ever in the subcontinent.

For the second day running, O’Keefe blazed through an Indian batting order that had been previously unbeaten on home soil for 20 matches with six wickets, including the prized scalp of Virat Kohli, who he made look foolish and vanquished.

India completely capitulated to surrender for 107 in their second innings, with their last six wickets skittled for just 18 runs, and they have it all to do ahead of the second Test starting in Bangalore on Saturday.

Mitchell Starc also gained kudos for his removal of Virat Kohli for a duck in the first innings.

Only a couple of months ago, Smith was picking up the pieces of Australian cricket, yet last night he was savouring the landmark moment of his captaincy career with the promise of more to come on a tour that was built-up as Mission: Impossible.

Australia has won only one Test series in India in 47 years, but a first scalp since 2004 has harnessed Smith’s side a level of momentum and self-belief that’s impossible to quantify.

Man of the Match O’Keefe’s achievement of eclipsing decades of overseas spinners touring India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was impossible to go past, but Australia had many heroes.

Smith’s fighting 109 off 202 balls was inspirational, given the hellish Pune surface.

It powered Australia to a position where it could set a world record target of 441, and it will go down as the most significant of Smith’s 18 Test centuries.

Then it was over to the bowlers to finish the job they started and O’Keefe — labelled a “safe” option before the match by Shane Warne — went to another level.

Spin twin Nathan Lyon was not to be outdone though either with figures of 4-53, including the final wicket of Jayant Yadav that sparked mass celebrations out in the middle.

Dismal totals of 105 and 107 are the fewest runs India has ever scored in a home Test match.

Virat Kohli’s duck and 13 is his second lowest contribution ever in a Test match.