Oz media calls Team India ‘pathetic’
HUMILIATION RETOLD Aussie media hails Smith and O’Keefe after visitors end a 13year wait with a 333run victory
MUMBAI: Australian media showered praise on their cricket team for a stunning victory over India in the Pune Test with two days to spare, the 333-run defeat snapping the hosts’ 19-match unbeaten run and ending a 13-year wait for the visitors.
The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) described spinner Steve O’Keefe’s match-winning haul of 12/70 as a “superhero performance that rewrote the record books and humiliated the shell shocked hosts inside three days”.
Cricket Australia’s official website hailed the tweaker for entering the record books for the best-ever haul by a foreign spinner in a Test in India.
It also highlighted his sacrifices over the last few months — opting out of the Big Bash League and abstaining from alcohol after being fined $10,000 in a drunken incident — to prepare for the India series.
The Aussie media also took a dig at India coach Anil Kumble for describing O’Keefe’s first innings six-wicket haul as a ‘steady’ effort and putting it down to his bowling in the right areas. Former Aussie spearhead Mitchell Johnson had also taken a dig at Kumble, and praised ‘steady O’Keefe’.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph took exception to Kumble’s comment, asking what O’Keefe would be capable of if he “bowls well”. Of course, this was before his identical second innings haul. After he was done, the news agency wrote he had “shattered 84 years of Test history in the sub-continent”.
MULTIPLE HEROES
The Daily Telegraph wrote that “Australia had many heroes” in the first Test. Captain Steve Smith’s 109 off 202 balls in the second innings was described as inspirational and the most significant of his 18 Test centuries. His captaincy also received rich praise.
The paper dubbed Mitchell Starc’s 61 at No 8 as “crucial” to Australia’s first innings total while SMH called him a “star” and a “big game player” in their analysis of individual Aussie performances.
The Australian daily pointed out Smith’s annoyance at an overthrow towards the end of the match as exemplifying his winning mentality.
The newspaper wrote that while it seemed imminent the visitors were going to win, Smith wanted to give no quarter.
Cricket.com.au noted: “Smith is, by nature, a highly motivated, steely driven young man” and that he learnt his lessons from the 0-3 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka last year to prepare a side that would dare to challenge the best. Australia’s coaching staff also received a good word, with primary praise going to former India all-rounder Sridharan Sriram, the team’s spin consultant.
INDIANS AT FAULT
The Australian press rounded on India. The SMH described India’s second innings as “pathetic” with skipper Virat Kohli’s cheap dismissals in both innings extensively discussed.
India got advice on fielding after dropping many catches, especially to reprieve Smith in the second innings.
Referring to India’s poor reviewing, The Australian wrote that BCCI may campaign to repeal DRS since India has had little luck with it.
Smith is, by nature, a highly motivated, steely driven young man” and that he learnt his lessons from the 03 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka last year. CRICKET.COM.AU. Australia had many heroes” in the first Test. Captain Steve Smith’s 109 off 202 balls in the second innings was the most significant of his 18 Test centuries. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH,