Flat pitch hampers Australia
CRICKET: A lost toss, debutant Mayank Agarwal and a docile drop-in pitch combined to frustrate Australia on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
India were looking comfortable at 2-181 late on day one with Cheteshwar Pujara unbeaten on 50 and Virat Kohli not out 32.
Pat Cummins was the only bowler to enjoy success on a flat MCG pitch, removing opener Hanuma Vihari with a sizzling delivery before claiming Agarwal.
Otherwise it was largely a case of bat dominating ball, underlining the challenge ahead for the hosts’ star-studded attack as they chase a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series.
Agarwal – called in after openers Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay were dropped following a succession of poor starts in this series – was the star for India early, looking remarkably comfortable after Virat Kohli opted to bat.
The 27-year-old cautiously took the shine off the new ball then started to play some shots, passing 50 with a couple off boundaries before Cummins finally had him caught behind down the leg side.
Australian skipper Tim Paine insisted he was happy to bowl after losing the toss but the much-maligned pitch offered little assistance throughout the opening two sessions.
Paine threw the ball to Nathan Lyon after just seven overs, and recalled all-rounder Mitch Marsh had already delivered 10 overs late yesterday.
Cummins was comfortably the pick of Australia’s bowlers.
The express quick removed Vihari, who was promoted from No.6 to open in a newlook order, with a delivery that clipped the glove off an awkward length and sailed straight to Aaron Finch at second slip.
Cummins earlier stuck Vihari on the helmet and also inflicted a painful blow to Agarwal’s arm.
But the MCG pitch came in for criticism after it copped a “poor” rating from the ICC last summer.
Several deliveries failed to carry through to Paine behind the stumps in the early going and assistant coach Brad Haddin said the lack of life in the pitch had forced Australia to resort to unconventional field settings in the hope of making a breakthrough.
“We thought we’d get a little bit more out of it, to be honest, at the start of the day,” he said.
Two of the past four MCG Tests have resulted in draws.