JOIN USLyon's roar rattles India
After Steve O’Keefe bamboozled India in Pune on a rank turner, it was his senior spin partner Nathan Lyon’s turn to leave the home batsmen flummoxed in perhaps the best batting conditions that one could hope for in this match here at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.
Having packed their side with seven batsmen, India had a fine opportunity to post a big total and put Australia straight under pressure but all they could manage was a paltry 189 all out in 71.2 overs as Lyon ran amok with his career best figures of eight for 50 on the opening day of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy here on Saturday. On a well-attended day, only KL Rahul, playing his first Test at his home ground, showed stomach for fight with a battling 90 (289m, 205b, 9x4) before he perished in an attempt to gather quick runs as wickets tumbled at the other end.
Australia, in reply, were 40 without loss in 16 overs to trail India by 149 runs. David Warner was batting on 23 while Matt Renshaw was giving him company on 15.
It was another poor display of batting by the Indians on a pitch where spinners could purchase generous turn and bounce as the day wore on. Lyon, bowling all his 22.2 overs from the Pavilion End, made best use of the rough created by Mitchell Starc while bowling from the Northern End. The pitch, however, was far from being the devious one that the Pune pitch was for the first Test. As Rahul showed during his nearly five-hour stay in sapping conditions, one could survive the test with the right intent.
Rahul had his moments of uncertainty when he tried to be cheeky against spinners by attempting some paddle scoops and reverse or conventional sweeps but sanity prevailed before it could prove costly. He was also lucky to be reprieved twice (on 30 and 61) during his knock. The lunch-break just when he was trying these outlandish strokes also helped him regain his composure.
The same can’t be said about the majority of the rest of the batting group. Without meaning to take anything away from Lyon’s magnificent effort, it must be said that most of the Indian batsmen were guilty of gifting their wickets away, primary among them being Virat Kohli. The skipper, for the second time in three innings, shockingly offered no shot to a ball that hardly deviated from its path and paid the price for it. As if adding insult to the injury, his review too went against him.
India’s day began with a major setback with regular opener M Vijay being ruled out due to a shoulder injury that he had sustained in Pune while diving for a catch. Abhinav Mukund filled his place while Nair was brought in to beef up batting at the expense of Jayant Yadav. It was perhaps the right strategy under the circumstances but one that was executed in a poor fashion.
Abhinav, featuring in his first Test in nearly six years, fell to an eight-ball duck. Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul steadied the ship with a 61-run stand before the former, a bit too circumspect than what was required, became the first of Lyon’s eight victims. Following Kohli’s tame dismissal, Rahane departed after missing a non-turner. Rahane was so far down the wicket that Matthew Wade could effect a stumping despite failing to gather the ball on first attempt.
Playing his first match after the triple hundred in Chennai, Nair looked the best of the Indian batsmen. He swept and cut authoritatively and even appeared in more control than a “well-set” Rahul. His stint, however, came to an abrupt end when O’Keefe dragged him down the wicket with a shortish length ball and then spun it past him for Wade to complete another stumping. This was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. From a relatively encouraging position of 174 for five, India lost their remaining five wickets while adding just 15 runs.
score board
INDIA (I Innings):
Rahul c Renshaw b Lyon 90
(289m, 205b, 9x4)
Abhinav lbw Starc 0
(16m, 8b)
Pujara c Handscomb b Lyon 17
(102m, 66b, 1x4)
Kohli lbw Lyon 12
(25m, 17b, 2x4)
Rahane st Wade b Lyon 17
(51m, 42b, 2x4)
Nair st Wade b O’Keefe 26
(37m, 39b, 3x4)
Ashwin c Warner b Lyon 7
(15m, 14b, 1x4)
Saha c Smith b Lyon 1
(10m, 14b)
Jadeja c Smith b Lyon 3
(18m, 16b)
Umesh (not out) 0
(10m, 6b)
Ishant c Handscomb b Lyon 0
(1m, 1b)
Extras (B-12, LB-4) 16
Total (all out, 71.2 overs) 189
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Abhinav), 2-72 (Pujara), 3-88 (Kohli), 4-118 (Rahane), 5-156 (Nair), 6-174 (Ashwin), 7-178 (Saha), 8-188 (Jadeja), 9-189 (Rahul).
Bowling: Starc 15-5-39-1, Hazlewood 11-2-42-0, O’Keefe 21-5-40-1, M Marsh 2-0-2-0, Lyon 22.2-4-50-8.
AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Warner (batting) 23
(63m, 51b, 1x4)
Renshaw (batting) 15
(63m, 47b, 1x4)
Extras (NB-2) 2
Total (for no loss, 16 overs) 40
Bowling: Ishant 5-0-8-0 (nb-1), Umesh 4-1-16-0 (nb-1), Ashwin 6-0-11-0, Jadeja 1-0-5-0.