On a day where Australia managed periods of counterattack, it was not enough to keep India’s relentless attack at bay as they were bowled out for just 177 on the opening day of the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Ravindra Jadeja bagging 5/47.
India, led by Rohit Sharma’s 56* then further cemented their strong position by the end of the day. The Indian captain made use of a plethora of loose deliveries from his opposite number, Pat Cummins to start the innings with a string of boundaries. It allowed his partner KL Rahul to settle in as well. And the duo managed to keep that going even against the two offspinners. Rohit brought up his 15th Test fifty towards the end of the day, but Australia managed to hit back with Todd Murphy bagging a return catch of KL Rahul on 20, ending a 76-run opening stand.
Rohit, and the nightwatchman R Ashwin, saw off the rest of the deliveries as India finished in a strong position, and making sure Jadeja’s efforts with the ball did not go to waste.
Earlier in the day, an 82-run stand between Marnus Labuschagne (49) and Steve Smith (37) kept India at bay over a large part of the first session before Jadeja stamped his presence on the field in his comeback game.
He first had Lauschagne overbalancing while trying to drive and had him stumped before trapping Matt Renshaw LBW first ball from round the wicket with the batter playing all over a ball turning in. Steve Smith briefly began to counterattack, hitting Axar Patel for three boundaries in an over but soon was swallowed by Jadeja who beat him on the inside edge with a straighter one to get him bowled.
However, the slide was arrested once again by a counter-attacking Alex Carey, alongside a resolute Peter Handscomb. With an assortment of reverse sweeps, sweeps and drives, Carey picked up seven boundaries in his 33-ball 36. However, the shot proved to be the cause of his downfall too as he dragged R Ashwin on to give the offspinner his 450th Test wicket.
Ashwin, who found his stride as the innings progressed, then managed to set Pat Cummins up beautifully to have him caught at slip before Jadeja had debutant Todd Murphy LBW for a duck. The session saw them lose six wickets for 98 runs, a steep fall from how they had set themselves up the first session.
Having opted to bat, Australia lost their openers cheaply to India’s fast bowlers. Mohammad Siraj struck with his first ball when he hit Usman Khawaja on the front pad with a full ball, and had him adjudged LBW on the review. This was closely followed by David Warner’s wicket, where the batter missed a delivery nipping in from Mohammed Shami and lost his offstump.
At 2/2, Australia’s challenge seemed to be teetering off without a ball being bowled by spinners, on the much-hyped dry pitch. The low bounce was the most noticeable factor in the first session, and even as the spinners eventually got some turn as well, Australia’s two best batters were well equipped to handle it.
Labuschagne started his innings in high tempo, managing a couple of early boundaries while Smith was kept quiet for a period of 26 balls on 6. It was in this period that Smith was at his most edgy, being beaten a couple of times and also edging Axar Patel only to be put down by Virat Kohli at slip. He got out of that rut with a chip over midwicket against Ravindra Jadeja for a boundary before the duo proceeded to get more comfortable against spin.
Both batters managed to keep the dangerous straight ones out even while playing predominantly off the backfoot, even as there were a few close shaves off the inside edge. But between all this, the duo managed to keep hitting the odd boundary. Labuschagne managed eight of it in the session to remain unbeaten on 47, even getting an early upper-hand against R Ashwin who he paddled away for a boundary, as Australia fought back before slipping once again.
Brief Scores:
Australia 177 all out (Marnus Labuschagne 49; R Jadeja 5/47) lead India 77/1 (Rohit Sharma 56*) by 100 runs
(Cricbuzz)