Aussies lambasted by their media

Sydney – Australia’s rout by India in the first Test at Nagpur was slammed as a “humiliation” and an “embarrassment” yesterday, with calls for changes ahead of the second Test.

The world’s No 1 side were crushed by an innings and 132 runs inside three days on a bonedry pitch on Saturday, outclassed by spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Australia’s second innings’ 91 was its lowest-ever total in India.

“Pat Cummins’ side has been humiliated in the first Nagpur Test match,” The Australian broadsheet wrote.

“There’s no blaming the wicket when the opposition post 400, but there’s potential to blame the state of mind the Australians approached the game in.”

It said questions must be asked about the decision to drop Travis Head, one of their standout players during the home summer, and over how much longer veteran opener David Warner can remain in Test cricket after failing again.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Australia had been dealt “a brutal reality check in their quest for world domination by India’s spin masters”, while Sydney’s Daily Telegraph urged change.

“The axing of Travis Head looked silly on day one and positively stupid on day three after Australia’s dreadful performance,” said the Telegraph.

“He must return. But Travis Head alone would not have raised the Titanic.”

Former captain Allan Border said the team should be “embarrassed” and would be left with “so many scars”.

“I hope our players are embarrassed by that performance. It’s just poor all around. It’s hard to believe it’s happened so quickly,” he told Fox Sports.

“It seems like we over-thought this particular tour and who should be there, who shouldn’t be there. We’ve started as badly as we possibly could. Hopefully that’s rock bottom.”

Mark Waugh, a selector during Australia’s 2017 campaign in India, also seemed to think that Head and allrounder Cameron Green, if fit, should be recalled for the second Test in Delhi, which gets underway on Friday. –