Australia on the ropes as India close in
Visitors’ bowlers shine as hosts lose six wickets on the third day at Melbourne with a slender lead of just two runs; Jadeja scores half-century
MELBOURNE: A depleted Indian attack shrugged off an injury to paceman Umesh Yadav to rout Australia’s batsmen and give themselves a platform for a series-levelling victory on day three of the second test on Monday. With Umesh lost to a calf strain after lunch, spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja chipped in two wickets and seamers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj took one apiece to leave Australia 133 for six at stumps, clinging to a lead of two runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Raw all-rounder Cameron Green, 17 not out, and tailender Pat Cummins, on 15, dug in to ensure India will bat again but Australia face a massive task to set them a proper chase. Rejuvenated after the three-day humiliation in the series-opener, India’s batsmen are highly unlikely to produce another Adelaide-style horror show where they dismissed for 36, their lowest ever test innings total.
Australia chased 90 for victory to win that test in three days, but their batsmen have failed to surpass 200 in their other three innings of the series.
Alarmingly for the hosts, star batsman Steve Smith’s form woes have been starkly exposed, with Bumrah bowling him around his legs for eight on Monday shortly after the teabreak. Smith, who nursed a back injury in the leadup to Adelaide, is yet to reach double-figures, with scores of one and one not out in Adelaide, and a duck in the first innings in Melbourne, his worst run of test scores.
Replacement opener Matthew Wade, who managed a 137-ball 40, had no complaints about the MCG pitch. “It did more, probably, in the first innings,” the lefthander told reporters. “Disappointing outs, myself included.”
India, anchored by stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane’s inspirational century on day two, were bowled out for 326 before lunch in reply to Australia’s first innings 195.
With Smith and Wade at the crease, Australia had resumed at 65 for two after tea, still hopeful of mowing down a 66-run deficit and setting India a task for victory. Yet Bumrah nipped their 29-run partnership in the bud by bowling Smith, and Wade was soon out lbw by Jadeja.
His wicket triggered a collapse with Travis Head (17) and Tim Paine (1) falling in successive overs, the former nicking Siraj to the slips and the latter caught behind.
Captain Paine’s dismissal after a review by India was contentious, with no nick detected by the “Hot Spot” technology and faint evidence of a sound picked up by “Snicko”. Number three batsman Cheteshwar Pujara had survived a similar review during India’s innings. Cummins and Green were lucky to bat out the day, with the paceman dropped on 11 by recalled wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after nicking spinner Ravichandran Ashwin behind the wicket.
Australia have a litany of problems to confront.
After a first innings duck, Joe Burns’ place is in jeopardy after another cheap dismissal, the opener caught behind for four off Umesh and then burning a review before departing.
Marnus Labuschagne (28), who made 48 in the first innings, made another bright start but was outpointed by Ashwin.
Earlier, Rahane’s captain’s knock ended when Jadeja ran him out for 112 on a risky single.
It was a deflating end to an inspired innings but Rahane is unlikely to hold a grudge given Jadeja’s wickets exposed Australia’s tail.
“Really special”
Rahane produced a master-class after taking over the reins at a low point for his team but when it comes to his best knock, the stand-in India skipper on Monday placed his century at Lord’s ahead of the latest effort, against Australia.
Rahane’s classy 112 paved the way for India taking a substantial 131-run first innings lead in the ongoing second Test against Australia, who were in all sorts of trouble at the close of play on the third day.
“It was really special. Getting a century always is. Still feel that my hundred against England at Lord’s is my best,” Rahane said after the day’s play. The unassuming Indian entered the Lord’s Honours Board when he struck an elegant 103 off 154 balls during the Indian team’s tour of England in 2014.
Leading the side just days after a humiliating defeat in the series-opener at Adelaide Oval, Rahane earned praise from the cricket fraternity for the manner in which he handled his bowlers and his field placements at Melbourne. “Captaincy is all about backing your instinct. You’ve got to back your gut feeling. Credit to the bowlers, they bowled in the right areas,” he added.
After his effort with the bat, his bowlers put India in sight of a series-levelling win by reducing Australia to 133 for six in their second innings.
Asked about the match, he preferred to stay cautious.
“This game is not over yet, still have to get four more wickets.”
Leading the team in the absence of Virat Kohli, Rahane came into the match after losing seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami and he was also held responsible for running out Kohli in Adelaide. However, on Monday it was Rahane who found himself at the receiving end after what seemed like a needless call by Ravindra Jadeja, which led to his dismissal.
Asked about his run out, Rahane said, “I initially thought I was in. I told him (Jadeja) not to worry about my run out and to do keep doing well.”
Jadeja went on to score his 15th Test fifty but got out after reaching the milestone.
“Track slowing down”
Siraj on Monday said that the MCG track has slowed down considerably and to wipe off the Australian tail, they will have to hit one area consistently.
“The track on the first day was very helpful for bowling but it has become very slow today. Not much is happening and there wasn’t much swing on offer. The key is to remain patient and hit one area consistently,” Siraj said during the virtual media conference.
His senior pace bowling partner Jasprit Bumrah told him that the only way to get wickets on a flat deck is to build pressure with a lot of dot balls. “Jassi bhai told me that don’t try anything different. Bowl in one area and create pressure with dot balls and there should be equal focus on each ball,” the 26-year-old Hyderabad pacer said, having already got three wickets in the match including that of Travis Head in the second innings.
Siraj’s elevation as a Test bowler has happened in the wake of some great performances for Hyderabad and India A at the first-class level.
“During lockdown, I had worked very hard on my fitness and that’s paying off well. I did well for India A in red ball format and that really helped and after my good performance with the white ball in this year’s IPL, I got confidence that I can do well for senior team also and hopefully, I will keep up the good work in future too,” he said.
What helped Siraj perform impressively with the red kookaburra is his experience of playing for A team in New Zealand earlier this year.
“The SG seam is more pronounced and the kookaburra seam flattens quickly like it has happened now. I bowled well in New Zealand during A tour and that experience helped me a lot.
“Actually, if you see there is not much difference as to how you perform in Ranji Trophy and at this level. Yes, performances at the Test level has its own value but the basics don’t change,” he said. Brief scores, Day 3: Australia 195 and 133/6 (Wade 40, Labuschagne 28, Jadeja 2/25); India 1st innings 326 all out (Rahane 112, Jadeja 57, Starc 3/78)