Bangalore: A tad less than 30 years to this date, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here had seen an epic knock. An innings of 96 by a person called Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. On a pitch spitting fire and venom, the Indian maestro had defied Iqbal Kasim and Tauseef Ahmed for 320 minutes, an innings that many pundits of the game refer to as an ideal method of playing spin on tracks that resemble a minefield. No, that innings did not save India, they lost the game by 16 runs.
Cheteshwar Pujara (79 batting, 173b, 6×4) is no Gavaskar – no not yet at least. But then his innings Monday against Australia here gave India some breathing space for the first time in the four-Test series. He helped India to 213 for four at stumps – an overall lead 126 runs. Earlier the Aussies resuming at 237 for six had folded for 276 – a first innings lead of 87 runs. They could have got a few more but then Ravindra Jadeja (6/63) ran through the tail and in the process got his second career-best Test figures. If India win this Test or even draw, Pujara’s innings will also be termed ‘epic’.
Australia must be lamenting skipper Steve Smith’s drop when Pujara was only on four with Josh Hazlewood (3/57) the unlucky bowler. But with the reprieve that he got Pujara once more demonstrated, that even on a minefield of a pitch, batsmen can survive if they have the right intent. Pundits may point out that he was lucky, but then luck certainly favours the brave. The ball spun, there was variable bounce, some skidded abysmally low, but nothing bothered the Saurashtra batsman. He was wrapped on the knuckles by both spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe, hit on the shoulder by Hazlewood, but nothing affected him.
In between whenever, Pujara got the short ball, he pulled with power, whenever one was tossed up slightly more than eyebrow- level, he danced down the track and in between picked up the ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking.
In the process, Pujara got his 14th Test half century and a few more by the time play ended.
He dashed Australian hopes when they had their tails high, having picked up four wickets, including that of skipper Virat Kohli (15) between lunch and tea. He nurtured Ajinkya Rahane (40 batting, 105b, 3×4) along the way as the two put on 91 runs after tea (93 altogether) to put the hosts on a strong pedestal.
Prior to that Australia were looking to turn on the screws. Hazlewood send Abhinav Mukund’s (16) stumps flying. Then after Pujara and KL Rahul (51, 84b, 4×4) put on 45 runs for the second wicket, Smith took a blinder at slip off O’Keefe to send the latter back.
Skipper Kohli was caught plumb in front by Hazlewood. He went for the DRS, but the third umpire could not make up his mind whether the ball had struck the bat or pad first and stayed with the decision of on-field umpire Nigel Long. Then Jadeja, promoted up the order drove lustily at Hazlewood, played down the wrong line and the stumps went flying. Suddenly, India were again on the verge of the precipice.
Pujara saved them the embarrassment. Irrespective of whether India win this game, irrespective of whether the batsman gets his hundred, this innings will always be remembered by its worth in gold.
Earlier Australia crumbled quickly. Ravi Ashwin struck early on having Mitchell Starc caught brilliantly by Jadeja running backwards from square leg. And then Jadeja struck, having Mathew Wade and Nathan Lyon leg before off successive deliveries. Hazlewood prevented the hat-trick but then holed out to Rahul at long-on. It was time for the Pujara show to begin.
India would definitely be in the driver’s seat if the rest of the batters contribute. Even a target of 150 in the fourth innings can give the opposition jitters and Australia are to bat last with the cracks widening with monotonous regularity. Certainly if others lend Pujara a helping hand, the visitors will have a fight on their hands.
Rahul praises Pujara, Rahane
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane led India’s spirited fightback here Monday and opener Lokesh Rahul said after the game that if the pair can add another 100 runs on day four, it would be worth ‘gold’ in the ongoing second Test against Australia.
“We went in with very clear intent to use our feet and rotate strike. That’s the only way we could put pressure back, because the fielders were back on the boundaries. Hopefully Rahane and Pujara can continue and get us a 100 more runs, that’ll be gold,” Rahul who also got a half century said.
The 24-year-old opener had missed a century at the first innings after being dismissed at 90 while he got out on 51 in the second innings today.
“It’s been really disappointing, getting starts and not converting them, especially when the team needed me to stay out and get big runs. Tried to build from strength to strength and hopefully I can build on it moving forward too,” Rahul pointed out.
Rahul said it was easier to bat on the third day but cautioned that the ball will keep low on the fourth and fifth day. “I’ve grown up on this pitch. So I will know how it behaves. It was easier to bat on than in the first innings. However, on the fourth and fifth days, it will again have variable bounce,” stated Rahul. “So we are happy we got off to a good start in the second innings.”
Hazlewood harps on bowling straight
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood believes quick bowlers will play a bigger role in the next two days and stressed on the need to bowl straighter after the second Test was left evenly-poised following India’s determined fightback on the third day here, Monday.
“The quicks were still too wide. With the odd ball shooting through with that up and down bounce, we could be more straighter. I think the spinners bowled really well again. We’ll come back tomorrow (Tuesday) and hopefully bowl well,” he told reporters after the end of the third day-play.
Hazlewood said back home the bowlers are used to bowling outside the off stump, looking for nicks, but in India the focus is on bringing the LBW more into play.
“Obviously in Australia you bowl in that channel outside the off stump, looking for nicks and things like that. It bounces through a lot better and there’s a little bit of swing,” he said.
“Here it’s not the case, and with that up and down movement with the cracks and uneven surface, it just brings the LBW more into play. That’s probably where the wickets are for the quicks for the rest of the game,” said Hazlewood, who rocked India’s batting order with three crucial wickets.
The 26-year-old also praised Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane for their determined fightback. “It feels pretty level at the moment. They fought back really well in that last session. Credit to the two guys out there,” he said.
Agencies
