The much anticipated Border-Gavaskar trophy went underway on Friday with the visitors batting first on a pacy Perth deck against the best bowling attack in test cricket. The green Western Australian wicket proved to be too much for the Indians as they got rattled out in under two sessions, with Hazlewood being the pick of the bowlers, getting 4-29 in just two spells.
Coming off a humiliating 3-0 defeat against the Blackcaps not too long ago, the first 2 sessions seemed like the beginning of a very long and arduous tour for the Indians. However, what unfolded in the third session completely turned the game on its head. The stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah, wily Mohammad Siraj, and resilient Harshit Rana made massive dents in the Aussie line-up, perfectly exploiting the conditions. Be it Khawaja, McSweeney, Labuschagne, Smith, Head or Marsh, everyone was done by the sheer pace and hard lengths of the Indian quicks.
The life on the pitch brought life into the Indian pacers. It was reminiscent of the Indian team under the mighty Virat Kohli. By the end of day 1, Australia were 7 down for a meagre 67 on the board. And not long after the morning light hit Perth stadium on day 2, the hosts were sent packing at their own home. What looked like a lackluster Indian XI was turning the heat down under.
With a lead of 46 runs and 4 long days ahead of them, the Indian batting line-up had to ensure that they put their first innings behind them, and create a mammoth lead to secure an easy win. Much to their advantage, the wicket looked placid as the grass wore out. There was still time for the cracks to start opening up, and India could feast on the Aussie lineup. Senior KL Rahul and young-gun Yashasvi Jaiswal did just that. Playing sensible cricketing shots, sticking to the Defense-Drive-Leave template of textbook test match batting.
It was the purist’s delight as Jaiswal cut effortlessly, drove elegantly and flicked skillfully on his way to an incredible century. His innings also included a fair bit of flare as he took on Mitchell Starc, both verbally and with the bat. Delicate upper cuts, powerful pick-ups, and slogs down the ground made him look like the complete player ready for the occasion. And ready he was. These 161 runs will be the most memorable and cherished ones that he has scored in his short but incredible test career. The kid with the humblest of beginnings has well and truly arrived at the top-most level of the sport.
KL Rahul was resolute in his defense and showed immense grit and temperament on his way to a KL-assy 77. The test looked all but gone from Australia’s hands. And to make matters worse for them, in came Virat Kohli. Despite scoring 60s and 70s in the recent past, Kohli was said to be out of form. Such is the reputation of the great man. His second innings of the match, to go with the drooping Australian shoulders, gave him a chance to capitalize and score big.
He looked like the Virat Kohli of the past as he was extremely compact in defense, putting the loose balls away with drives and flicks. He wasn’t afraid of sweeping, a shot which is quite uncharacteristic of him. With the lead over 500, shadows lengthening on the third day, India was looking to declare and put the home team in for 15 to 20 overs of fast-bowling barrage. However, the former skipper was nearing his 81st international ton.
Kohli proved the team man that he is by shifting gears and taking on the Australian bowlers, pumping Nathan Lyon over his head, pivoting and piercing the gaps while pulling against Labuschagne, and reversing the offie to get into his 90s. The 27,000 at Perth, along with millions watching in India held their breath with every run that brought Kohli close to his 100. And finally, sweeping Labuschagne from outside leg stump and beating the man at deep backward square, India’s biggest cricket sensation brought up his hundred. His celebration, quite subdued, mature, very different compared to the Kohli from a decade ago when he was still clobbering the Kangaroos in the BGT. A decade later, Kohli and India were feeling a 100 kgs lighter.
India finally declared, giving Aussies a humongous target of 534. It didn’t take long for India to start making inroads, catching McSweeney in-front, sending the nightwatchman back, and wrapping Labuschagne on the pads to end the third day on 12/3. The much awaited win was moments away.
Come the 4th day, Bumrah and Siraj wreaked havoc on the Aussies, picking three each. The visitors somehow made it to lunch as Head and Marsh showed some resilience. However, India came back, courtesy debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy, who cleaned up Marsh with a peach. Wickets tumbled as Sundar and Rana cleaned up the tail, giving India the first test.
Hope in the midst of the hopeless is what test cricket is all about. And with games like this, the format is sure not just to survive, but to thrive in the years to come.
-Vibhor Dubey
The Average Cricketer 