Own the first innings, make it count
If India are to take series lead again, they will need to put their best foot forward right from start
NEW DELHI: Boxing Day 2003 at Melbourne Cricket Ground couldn’t have started on a more thrilling note for India as Virender Sehwag plundered 195 runs in three sessions. Australia still won that Test by nine wickets. Reason: India’s inability to capitalise on Sehwag’s demolition act, compiling just 366 in the first innings despite an opening partnership of 141 with Aakash Chopra and a third wicket stand of 137 with Rahul Dravid. Australia responded with a massive 558 and the Test was pretty much decided there.
India have drawn two Boxing Day Tests at MCG and on both occasions scored 400 plus in the first innings. In the first innings of the five Boxing Day Test defeats suffered at MCG, India have surpassed 300 just once, that too due to Sehwag’s brilliance. Australia’s first innings scores in each of those five victories read 349, 405, 558, 343 and 333.
The clamour that the visitors must make the first innings count is mainly because of India’s poor second innings returns in Australia. They have scored 213, 195, 286, 161 and 169 in the second innings in the five Boxing Day Test defeats since 1985. No one scored a century and only four Indian batsmen scored fifties.
Posting big first innings totals and following them with tight bowling have been the ingredients in Australia’s sensational record at MCG. The only times Australia have been challenged was when a touring team batted big in the first innings. Sample this: In the nine Tests since 1980 where visiting teams have scored at least 400 in the first innings, Australia have lost three, drawn five and won one.
For India to win the Boxing Day Test, Virat Kohli needs his batting unit to put their best foot forward in the first innings. It’s not beyond them. India’s biggest positive from that draw in 2014 was a 262-run partnership between centurions Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, the best fourthwicket stand ever at MCG.
If India at least partially solve their opening woes, they stand a good chance of making the most of the first innings. But it might eventually boil down to how Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara bat at MCG, simply because Kohli continues to be in the form of his life. Recent history however suggests Pujara and Rahane have not been consistent on long tours, be it in England this year or in the preceding tour of South Africa (Rahane played one Test though).
The pitch adds to the intrigue. MCG’S drop-in pitches have earned a bad rap in recent years for being flat and producing big totals, leading to dreary draws. It is already on notice from the ICC following a ‘poor’ rating for the pitch in 2017 for the Ashes Reports claim MCG curator Matthew Page has been trying to ‘inject’ life into the pitch. Then, India’s job could be difficult.