AUSSIES CRUSH INDIA
pune — Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe picked up 12 wickets to guide Australia to a first win in India since 2004, the 333-run thrashing in the opening Test also bringing the home side’s 19-match unbeaten streak to a juddering halt on Saturday.
The 32-year-old, who returned matching career-best figures of 6-35 in both innings for a maiden 10-wicket test haul, shone with the ball after his skipper Steve Smith had recorded his first test century on Indian soil to anchor Australia’s batting.
India, who had not lost a home Test in 20 matches since a 2012 defeat to England in Kolkata, were once again unable to cope with O’Keefe’s probing lines after they were bundled out for a paltry 105 in the first innings.
Chasing a massive victory target of 441, India scored just two more runs in their second innings to capitulate inside three days at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, making its debut as a test centre.
Arriving in India on the back of nine straight defeats in Asia, Australia were in control of the contest once they scraped together 260 in the first innings and tasted victory in India for the first time since a 342-run Nagpur victory in 2004.
Four of O’Keefe’s six wickets in the second innings were leg before dismissals while he also got the prized scalp of Kohli, who completed a forgettable display when he shouldered arms to a straight delivery and saw his off-stump uprooted for 13.
Spin colleague Nathan Lyon provided able support, picking up the other four wickets in India’s innings for 53 runs.
Earlier in the day, Smith capitalised on India’s sloppy fielding with a brilliant century to help his team make 285 in their second innings after the visitors had resumed on 143 for four.—