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India walk redemption path after Adelaide debacle; Batsmen not looking too far ahead


When Indian pacers were extracting a good amount of help from the first-day pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), experts on air were constantly arguing if India did not start on a disadvantageous note by not batting first, and that ‘it was a good toss to lose.’ In hindsight, it might have been true as well since India got time away from batting worries after the debacle on the third morning in Adelaide. Instead, they got the opportunity to put pressure on Australian bowling line-up.

A lot of speculations were doing the rounds about the captaincy style of Ajinkya Rahane who, for the first time in his career, is set to lead the team for three consecutive matches. It was believed that Rahane was not risk-averse and that, when presented with a situation or a dilemma on whether to take the aggressive or defensive route, he has the habit of taking the bull by the horns. He showed heart for a fight against an Australian side that was jumping with joy over dismissing their opponents for their lowest score in Test format. The evidence for this was the Indian team playing five bowlers - a move that showed he was ready to move on from the Adelaide collapse which Virat Kohli had labelled as the ‘worst collapse ever seen.’

But, the real test awaited Rahane, the captain, when he took the field on the first day. Jasprit Bumrah got India off to a brilliant start while Umesh Yadav too did not bowl badly in his initial spell. Surprisingly, in a move that sent many experts into a frenzy, Rahane brought Ravichandran Ashwin into bowl when the ball was relatively new, instead of debutante Mohammed Siraj. The decision looked out of place, but for Rahane, it did not lack vision. Ashwin heard the clarion call and dismissed Mathew Wade and the big fish Steve Smith to vindicate his captain’s move. Rahane proved he could see what others were missing in that plot and that it was not purely an instinctive decision but a rational one looking at the moisture present on the pitch.

“When we were bowling in the morning, there was some moisture on the wicket, so you saw Ashwin and Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) got some spin. Because we wanted to make the most of the moisture, we were trying to use them, he (Ashwin) was getting good bounce,” Jasprit Bumrah said in the virtual press conference after the end of the first day’s play.

While the pitch was offering a fair bit of assistance for the bowlers and the real challenge was in and around off stump for the batsmen, Indians were able to get the scalps of the big stars in the Australian batting line up - Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Smith was brilliantly lured by Ashwin by a delivery that pitched on the off stump while Labuschagne too was lured by delivery on the straighter line by Siraj. The wicket of Labuschagne could be attributed to a false shot by the batsman, but Bumrah refuted to accept that the wicket was not a result of the plan B that the team adopted after batting conditions got better in the middle session.

“There were constant discussions going on between bowlers and the captain. The wicket changed after the first session. It got better to bat on in the second session and moisture went away. We were just trying to communicate what kind of lines we wanted to bowl so that we can set the field accordingly. When there was less help, we tried to change the line accordingly,” Bumrah added on why India had a fielder in the leg slip/gully position where Labuschagne was caught by debutant Shubman Gill, handing another debutant Mohammed Siraj his maiden Test wicket.

Siraj got Labuschagne at the start of his second spell and was bowling well for a man playing his first Test. For the most part of the first day, he outbowled the senior pacer in the group - Umesh Yadav. He was incisive and bowled with good control. The over in which he set up Cameron Green showed he belonged to the level of Test cricket and his excellent first day on the field was not lost on his senior in the bowling line up.

“He has worked really hard and come up the ranks. He was eager to bowl in the first session itself. There wasn’t a lot happening after lunch and he (Siraj) bowled with a lot of control,” Bumrah said. “Suddenly he started getting some movement and wanted to make the best of it. Playing his first Test match, he bowled really well and had the confidence of using all his skills. It’s a heartening sign for us and hopefully, he will continue doing that,” Bumrah said.

After dismissing the home side for195, India had to bat a total of eight overs towards the end of the play, and the opener Mayank Agarwal and debutant Gill had their task cut out against the likes of Cummins and Starc with the new ball. Unfortunately for India, Agarwal could not handle the fiery first over of Starc and was found late on a ball that moved back towards the stumps.

Ironically, India finished the day on 36 - a score that would haunt them till the time the team reach another historic low. But the story was quite different this time around as India have their nose ahead in the game with Gill looking composed and not batting under pressure, by the looks of it, and Pujara looking to hold one end. 

The batting line up would be under some pressure to avoid another Adelaide like debacle with the bat, after being in such a leading position in the game. But Bumrah said that the team would not be mentally constrained by the failures they had in the first Test. He reaffirmed the stance that Virat Kohli had taken after the loss in Adelaide, but said that the team is not looking too far ahead and they will not lag in confidence while facing the trio of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood on day two of the Boxing Day Test.

“We don’t want to be conservative in our mindset and be positive. Control the controllables. Not being reckless but playing with confidence will be the motive going forward. We are trying to focus on things that are in our hands. The focus will be on the first session tomorrow,” Bumrah stated.

The batting unit should put the failure behind them and remind themselves that if they can play session by session and as per their potential, they can leave the hosts way behind in the game on the second day itself. But a collapse of any sort can bring the hosts back in the game, and for that, they will have to be watchful.

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Match Preview: Distraught Heat face in-form Hurricanes in must-win game

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Inside out | Mohammed Siraj bided his time, now shows strengths on Test debut

When Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the Test series after fracturing his wrist in Adelaide, there were huge rounds of disappointments as India were already without Ishant Sharma, and the absence of Shami meant Ajinkya Rahane was left with only Jasprut Bumrah as someone he could rely on to bring wickets. But, in a team sport, pain for one is again for someone else, and it was obvious that one of Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj had to gain from Shami’s injury. There was a direct toss-up between Siraj and Saini, but all within the Indian camp and commentariat believed Siraj was more prepared for the debut at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test and ultimately the pacer from Hyderabad got India cap from Ravichandran Ashwin. Siraj has an excellent record in the first-class cricket and for India A and he has bid his time well to earn the call-up. He was brought to the Indian team set up but failed to impress in the T20 format and it was widely argued that he was given chance in the wrong format and that he is suited more in the long form of the game where he could do what he does best-- bide his time. On his first day of international career, Siraj was made to wait by Rahane although he had the option of easing him through when Australian were under pressure after the fall of Steve Smith but Rahane had other ideas. Rahane was keen to check if Ravindra Jadeja could extract the same amount of purchase off the pitch as his partner Ashwin was able to get in the spell where he dismissed both Matthew Wade and Steve Smith and all Siraj could do was to wait for his opportunity fielding at mid-off and fine leg positions. Rahane introduced Siraj straightaway with the first over after the lunch and Siraj showed his readiness to play Test cricket and fulfil the role India expect him to play. He was on the money from the word go and his first ball pitched on the off stump line at the back of a length and Travis Head was forced to play at it, albeit not unconvincingly. The Kookaburra ball used in Test matches does not swing for too long and the art of controlling the flow of the innings and bowling in a channel holds the key for the success of any bowling attack, especially in Australia. After a couple of overs when he leaked out few driveable deliveries to Head and Marnus Labuschange, Siraj started honing at the perfect length and line just outside the off-stump to keep batsmen guessing if they had to play at his deliveries or to leave them. His first spell lasted for six overs when he bowled unchanged till the drinks break in the afternoon session post the lunch interval and his figure read 6-0-24-0. He was impressive and bowled incisive lengths but wickets did not come for him. By the time he returned to his second spell in the 48th over of the innings, Head was sent back by Bumrah and the new man in- Cameron Green was not getting the top of the bowling attack, especially Ashwin at the other end. Rahane would have expected Siraj to bowl as per the plans and Siraj was once again ready. The second over of second spell brought him his first Test wicket and that too of the well set Marnus Labuschagne and his dismissal was laid down to a perfect trap set by the captain Rahane and Siraj, and the bowler showed repaid the faith of captain bowling complete on the plans and Labuschagne was gone and with him, a big opening was also created. Siraj had bid his time, waited for his opportunity to showcase what he has to offer and now it was the time to show his strength. He started bowling in a nice rhythm and the bowling in the channel was going flawlessly for him. He kept on challenging the outside edges of both Tim Paine and Cameron Green as India were looking to get on top of it. Siraj was looking like the bowler who could chip in with the role of a supporting bowler if can’t fill the big void left by Mohammed Shami. He showed commendable maturity being a rookie at the international stage, but all those long spells with the red ball for India A were showing its effects as Siraj showed exemplary temperament and set up the batsmen Green instead of searching for glory balls every over and trying to take wickets every ball. Siraj was into his long spell and was troubling Green with away going deliveries pitched on good lengths, but all of a sudden one delivery nipped back sharply off the seam and found Green in front of the stumps. Umpire Paul Reifel adjudged Green LBW and the delight at Siraj’s face was for everyone to see. Siraj has put a big price on the opportunity has got in Melbourne as he could not decide on leaving the tour midway after his father passed away due to illness. The decision must have been tough, but Siraj’s resolve for success at the highest level, which was also the dream of his late father and the commitment for the game was overweighing the pain and mental weakness he could have felt after hearing the fact that he won’t be able to see his father again. Siraj has come a long from a very humble background, but this is not a celebration of the journey. Enough has been said on the level of his achievements in his long and hard journey off the filed, and it’s time for him to perform on the field for his success story to replace the story of his background. Hopefully, he has set off for it at the MCG today.