Cricket Tournaments

India Vs Australia First Test Match Highlights

Whenever there is talk of Test cricket dying, India and Australia must face each other in a Test series. And be rest assured that at least for the duration when the two teams are battling it out, all such chatter will be put to rest. Keeping apart the 2008 series played in India, all the other contests between the two nations, starting with the epic of 2001, have been exhilarating. A number of memorable performances have been delivered by players from both sides over the last decade, be it VVS Laxman oft-mentioned 281 or Harbhajan Singh’s hat-trick at Kolkata, Steve Waugh’s match-saving final Test knock or Michael Clarke’s sensational century on debut, each holds a special place in Test cricket. And so, not surprisingly, the latest encounter between the two sides also kicked off on a nail-biting note.

There were plenty of unforgettable memories from Mohali, none better than that man VVS Laxman guiding India home yet again with an injured back. But then, whilst Laxman achieved what seemed immortal for the others, it has something he has done in the past as well. And so, no one was surprised that he came up with the goods again. However, it was extremely heartening to see the way Ishant Sharma came back after taking a battering in the first innings. Bowling no balls at will and having to leave the field owing to an injury gave one the impression that he was in for another torrid time. However, he turned things around, and how.

The lanky fast bowler needed a little bit of luck, and that came when the in-form Shane Watson dragged one from Ishant onto his stumps. From thereon, Ishant was a changed bowler. Finding his rhythm of old, at least for that innings, he claimed two more quick to get India back into the game. Surprisingly, and yet deservedly, it will be his dogged effort with the bat that would be talked about when discussions over this Test come about in the future. When he went into bat, all seemed lost for India, and one got the feeling that Laxman would be left stranded at one end. However, wasn’t ready to give up so easily.

Despite having lost skipper Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh in quick succession, Ishant was prepared to slug it out and give Laxman, the other injured warrior in the team, some much-needed company. It wasn’t out there with the pressure building each minute. But Ishant responded superbly and in a highly responsible manner, so much so that he Laxman was prepared to give him more of the strike. The straight bat defence worked well against both the pacers and spinners. Further, the fact that he was leaving deliveries outside off demonstrated the confidence he possessed. On a couple of occasions when he had a waft at away going deliveries, he reprimanded himself like a genuine batsman would do. He may have been unfortunate not be there when the winning runs were registered, but he would be all the more happier that his efforts did not end up getting vanished in a losing cause.

While Ishant’s determination was among the high points of the Test , there were a number of other noteworthy performances from both sides, which contributed toward making this Test remarkable. For India, Zaheer Khan celebrated his return to the team with a five-wicket haul as well as the man of the match award. At the beginning of the game, there were question marks pertaining to his fitness. Khan answered all the doubters in the best way possible. As expected of him, he took wickets at the top and came back to break crucial partnerships, ensuring India stayed in the game even though it appeared that the Aussies had charged ahead at times. Harbhajan Singh wasn’t threatening, but did well enough to pick up a few important wickets and assist Zaheer. On the batting front, it was a mixed bag for India. Many got starts and reasonable scores, but none could convert it into a big knock, allowing Australia to snatch the vital first innings lead. It very nearly made the difference in the end.

While Australia would be disappointed, they have done enough to be proud of themselves. Shane Watson was instrumental in setting up a good first innings total for his side even as Ricky Ponting and even Tim Paine chipped in. Also, at different points in the game, Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger put their hands up to get Australia back in the reckoning after they had fallen back. Overall, they were very good, but India just had that someone special, Australia’s grand old nemesis, to see them through. And while we eagerly wait for the next Test at Bangalore, many of us will be mourning the fact that it would signal the end of the series. What a tragedy.

VVS Laxman

Sachin Tendulkar may be the greatest and Rahul Dravid maybe the stalwart. But, when it comes to guiding the team through to victory under the toughest of circumstances, one cannot look beyond Vangipurappu Venkata Sai aka VVS Laxman in the Indian Test team. As if the match-winning effort at the P Sara Oval in India’s last Test wasn’t testimony enough, VVS stood tall once again amidst all the ruins against his favourite opponent, Australia, at Mohali. For those seeking similarities between the two knocks, the bad back is the obvious one. However, medical treatment combined with Laxman’s desire to win it for India at all costs, pushed all the negatives into the backseat.

There is a lot one can say about Laxman, the magician, but it may still not do justice to his achievements. What can one say about the may be majestically went about his business in the company of Ishant Sharma? And what about the manner in which he inspired Sharma in what turned out to be a match-turning partnership? Yes, that is the soothing effect Laxman can have on the game and his mates. The assurance with which Sharma batted out in the middle was a clear indication that he found himself in a divine state of mind in the company of Laxman. The man himself was all charged up for another mission impossible.

So much has been written about the classy Hyderabadi’s wristy style of play, and still one longs for more from him. Probably because, along with his artistic strokeplay, he brings a measure of dignity to the game that looks long lost when Laxman is not at the crease. Let’s not take names, but there are a couple of characters in this Indian side who would have taken on the Aussies using their mouths. And, they may have still won the battle. But, would that win having been as pleasing as the one achieved courtesy Laxman’s single-minded devotion, preferring to remain in the silent zone all the while. The question doesn’t even need to be answered. And this is exactly the reason why Laxman is highly respected by opponents, Australia in particular. Sad then that he’s been so shabbily treated in his own country over the years.

Arguably India’s most under-celebrated great, Laxman has been in the firing line time and again over the years and yet has incredibly managed to come out with his honour and dignity intact, whilst also reclaiming his deserved spot in the team purely on the basis of his batting heroics. Thankfully, over the last couple of years, things have changed and Indian cricket has benefited immensely. While all the talk has revolved around Sachin Tendulkar and his return to prime form, in an almost unnoticed manner, Laxman has averaged 95 this year. But then, that’s the way Laxman likes it and he would prefer it to stay that away. That said, he is expected to get his fair share of limelight following two ‘back-breaking’ match-winning efforts.

The same ones who would have been gunning for his head had he not batted due to fitness concerns, will now be heaping praise on him. After all the years of toil and hard work, he deserves his time in the sun. Not that Laxman would be desperate for it. But then this is India, and even if he doesn’t like it, the fourth-innings specialist would be hogging the limelight for the next couple of days, even though he himself would be hoping that the Commonwealth heroes don’t get overshadowed in the press because of his efforts.

The sad part about the whole thing is that we get to watch Laxman very sparsely these days, owing to the fact that he plays only Test matches, or rather he is forced to. Watching him in T20 isn’t the same for true blue Laxman fans. And so he has featured in only six Tests in ten months. There will only be one more against Australia, unfortunately and then a few against New Zealand and South Africa later. In between though, there would be plenty of limited-over games, as that is the order of the day. In no time, Laxman’s heroism would be confined to distant memory, until one fine day he returns to remind us that he is still around.

Hopefully, the wrists would remain supple. His back will remain a problem. But, for a man who has seen it and done it all, that shouldn’t be much of a hindrance as he has proved on two occasions now. Age may not be on Laxman’s side, but with the kind of magical form he has displayed recently, one only hopes he can carry on for another couple of years. Sounds difficult and irrational, but for VVS, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Yuvraj Singh

Four days into the Irani Trophy clash between Rest of India and Ranji champions Mumbai, there has only been one dominant side. Yuvraj Singh-led Rest of India made a mockery of the Mumbai bowling attack, which means the latter would fail to lift the coveted cop this year as well, extending their lean run in the tournament that began at towards the end of the last decade. To make matters worse, they haven’t been great with the bat either on a pitch where ROI’s batsmen were slamming balls left right and centre with their eyes closed. In short, Mumbai have been terribly disappointing, and the one-sided contest would serve no good purpose for Indian domestic cricket.

Right from day one, ROI have been on top. Batting first Abhinav Mukund and Parthiv Patel slammed effortless tons. But that was just the beginning and the end of the misery. In between, Shikhar Dhawan, Subramanian Badrinath and Virat Kohli made substantial scores. And, as if that wasn’t enough, Ravichandran Ashwin, the man of the Champions League, chipped in with a blistering half-century to kill Mumbai hopes further. A score of 660 plus was ample evidence of the haplessness of the Mumbai attack.

Excluding skipper Wasim Jaffer and the wicket-keeper everyone had a bowl, and although Dhawal Kulkarni picked up a five-for, it came at the cost of conceding 148 runs. Surprisingly, it was part-timer Rohit Sharma who ended up with the most impressive figures. But that was nothing more than an aberration. Also, the fact that their most experienced bowler Ajit Agarkar was struggling with his fitness only compounded matters. Agarkar could bowl only 15 overs in the entire game and that was a big handicap.

Replying to a mammoth score, Mumbai needed to put their best foot forward, but that was far from the case. Except a defiant half-century from skipper Wasim Jaffer, the Ranji champions had nothing substantial to offer. Considering his high standards, even Jaffer would consider his effort a failure. However, about the rest, the less said the better. As many as seven of the other ten batsmen reached double figures, but not one among them could cross 41. Therein lay Mumbai’s core issue and with it went their any outside chance of hoping to push for a win.

Surprisingly, Yuvraj Singh did not enforce the follow-on. However, even while his captaincy decision could be questioned, the same cannot be said about his batting effort in the second innings. After falling for a blob the first time round, the India Test discard made sure he reminded the selectors of his much-discussed talent yet again. Yuvraj was in no trouble as he played every shot in the book on the way to making a trouble-free double hundred. The innings comprised of 28 fours and five sixes and came off 194 balls. That pretty much tells the tale and paints a sorry picture of the Mumbai bowling attack once again. Apart from Yuvraj-delivered agony, they again had to suffer at the hands of Mukund and Badrinath, who carried on from where they left off in the first innings.

Chasing a massive 782 for victory, Mumbai made a decent start with Jaffer looking solid yet again. With the pitch not playing too many pranks, a respectable batting performance can still see Mumbai draw the game. However, it hasn’t been a performance worthy of a champion side. Far from it, and sad since we know what they are capable of.

Sachin Tendulkar

Australia will hold most of the aces going into the final day’s play at Mohali. Having claimed four of the top Indian wickets cheaply late of the fourth day, after themselves being dismissed for a disappointing 192, the visitors would feel elated. All they have to do now is somehow get through Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and an unfit VVS Laxman to get the 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. And they have Ben Hilfenhaus to thank for for putting them in such a commanding position.

He may have been extremely lucky to get the wicket of Gautam Gambhir, who was adjudged lbw despite hitting the ball. However, the short-pitched deliveries directed at first innings Virender Sehwag and Suresh Raina were perfectly well planned. The bounce the bulky paceman generated caught the Indians off-guard and undid all the good work done by their bowlers earlier in the day. After his disappointing effort in the first essay, it was a strong comeback by Hilfenhaus, one that will give him a lot of confidence for bigger battles ahead.

As things stand, Tendulkar holds the key to India’s hopes. However, on a fifth day pitch, even the best can struggle. It remains to be seen whether the maestro can pass yet another stern test. Of course, he can’t be expected to see the team home alone. Skipper Dhoni’s contribution would be crucial, more than ever, since India’s ‘rescue specialist’ is fighting a battle of a different kind. Like in the first innings Laxman will definitely give batting a short. But one can’t expect him to do a Colombo encore time and again. If he does, it will be nothing short of a herculean effort. Thinking practically though, the home team will need Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh to chip in and ease the pressure somewhat on Sachin, Dhoni and Laxman.

Whatever the result of the game, Australia need to be credited for fighting back from difficult positions time and again, and, in fact, should be considered favourites from hereon. In India’s first innings, things looked down and out for Australia when Raina and Tendulkar were carving their attack with minimal discomfort. However, once they got an opening courtesy Marcus North’s surprise dismissal of Sachin, they capitalised on it wonderfully, so much so that they ended up getting the first innings lead despite the fact that the Indian batting had dominated almost the whole day.

MS Dhoni

India, on the other hand, must look at themselves in the mirror and ask whether they got complacent. An honest assessment would be yes. Both Sachin and Raina played across the line whilst approaching the tons and Zaheer Khan batted like he possessed a million runs under his belt. The rest, including Dhoni and Harbhajan, were undone by some excellent bowling by Mitchell Johnson, and India’s hopes of batting out the Aussies were gone. To their credit, the Indian bowlers also hit back strongly. Ishant’s triple strike after Australia looked like running away with the game set the match up nicely. Soon the spinners got into their own as Australia crumbled a la 2001. Of course, Harbhajan did not single-handedly run through the batting order, as Pragyan Ojha and Zaheer provided ample support. Still, the result was exactly what the sparse Mohali crowd desired.

The same cannot be said about the Indian batting effort, however. Gambhir may consider himself unlucky at having got a tough decision. But every time such an occurrence takes place, they will be reminded by all and sundry about the refusal to use the UDRS. And so, the Indians should neither expect sympathy nor do they have the right to feel hard done by. Also, the opposition team also got a shocker when Micheal Hussey was adjudged lbw to Harbhajan despite the ball pitching way outside the leg. So things had evened up by the end of the day.

Nothing would be level by the time the game finishes though. We are sure to have one winner and a loser, quite a drastic development considering a draw seemed to looming large after the first three days. But then again, that’s the beauty of Test cricket. And the final twist is yet to come.

Ricky Ponting

It was advantage no one as the first day of the opening Test between India and Australia came to an end at Mohali. Both teams had their chances to gain the ascendancy however could not capitalize on their good starts, allowing the opposition to claw back into the game. First, India got the early breakthrough, but were well below par in the field, dropping crucial catches.

Suresh Raina, who was not only electric in the field but also effected the run-out of Ricky Ponting at a vital stage, was the sole exception. The home sides fielding woes allowed Australia to get away, and they looked set to march on to a sizeable first innings total. It did not help that Ishant Sharma, bowled numerous no balls, one of which was a wicket-taking delivery before leaving the field with a knee injury. It was only proficient late burst by Zaheer Khan, who scalped three of the five wickets to fall, that ensured India ended the day on a high.

Australia, on the other hand, would be disappointed at having lost a golden opportunity to begin the series on a high. They may have lost Simon Katich early, but the in-form Shane Watson, in the company of skipper Ponting, had set the perfect platform for the visiting team. Aided by some insipid bowling by the Indians in the morning and afternoon session, the duo made merry. Indians looked down in the dumps when Raina produced an athletic bit of fielding to catch the Australian captain short of his crease. It wasn’t a spectacular effort by Raina’s standards, but stood out on a day when the dropping catches had become the norm. It also sent a strong signal into the opposition camp that there is one man they can’t take lightly on the field, else they would have to pay dearly.

Ponting left the scene fuming and although Zaheer’s needling was far from obligatory, the reactions from both men went on to show how much the dismissal meant to their respective sides. And, as if to prove a point, Australia stuttered towards the close of play from thereon while Indians bowlers tightened their grip and also claimed three more crucial scalps. All this while Watson held one end up rather cautiously as he registered his third century on Indian soil in consecutive innings, following up on his two tons in the practice game.

While Watson played a rather mature hand, keeping himself in check throughout, unlike the flashy batsman he is known to be, it also signified Australia’s quagmire. Not only Watson, but the entire Aussie middle-order adopted this unexpected approach following Ponting’s dismissal. The only difference was that while the opener was successful, the rest got trapped and succumbed to the pressure created by the Indian bowlers in the latter half of the day, unable to execute what was planned.

One of the reasons for Australia’s defensive approach might have been the lack of confidence in the latter batsmen. While Michael Hussey is still very good, his consistency has dropped lately. This aspect was evident at Mohali. Even as he tried his best to fight through, he eventually couldn’t last long enough to make a substantial contribution. And even though Marcus North got a century in the game the other day at Chandigarh, his consistency at the Test level doesn’t make him reliable as yet. It did not help Australia that their vice-captain and someone who has done fantastically well against India in the past, Michael Clarke, also had to endure a rare failure.

As the day drew to a close with runs drying down and a couple wickets going down, the faces of a seething Ponting and an upbeat Zaheer sprung back to mind. If a picture had to tell the story of the day, that was it. The task in front of both teams is rather straightforward in a sense. The Aussies need to keep fighting, albeit with a little bit of positive intent. Remember Watson is still out there and the Australian tail is renowned for producing fortune-changing partnerships. For India, their aim should be to wrap up the Australian innings as soon as possible, more so since they have lost the services of Ishant Sharma. If the batting side keeps them on the field for long, the other three main bowlers will have to shoulder extra burden, which isn’t the ideal situation. Additionally, the bowling needs better support from the other fielders, and not just Raina, who was undoubtedly the star of the day.