India got off to a brilliant start to Day 1 of the first Test meeting against Australia in Nagpur on Thursday thanks to fast wickets from Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. While Siraj Usman trapped Khawaja LBW, Shami produced an absolute ripper of a delivery to Castle David Warner. The southpaw had no idea of the movement of the ball as he moved a little and crashed into the stump. It was a brilliant sight for the bowler as the stump cartwheeled towards wicket-keeper KS Bharat.
What a delivery by Mohammad Shami – absolute peach. pic.twitter.com/BSdRwqPMJv
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 9, 2023
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne handled the Indian spinners with great confidence as Australia recovered from early jitters to reach 76 for two at lunchtime.
Mohammed Shami (1/12) and Mohammed Siraj (1/13) removed Usman Khawaja (1) and David Warner (1) in quick succession, but Labuschagne (47) and Smith (19) led the Australian fight back in an enthralling first session where they could not be beaten by India’s spin troika.
Labuschagne, who hit eight shots at the fence in his 110-ball innings, played the enforcer role, while his senior Smith defended tenaciously during his 74-ball stay, largely nullifying the Indian spinners in their 74-run stand for the third wicket.
There were a few deliveries from both Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel that spun and jumped, making life difficult behind the stumps for debutant Kona Bharat, but Australia’s top two hitters were on top of their game during the session.
Bowling mainly around the wicket to right-handers, Ravichandran Ashwin initially looked unthreatening and then switched to traditional over-the-wicket bowling.
All the pre-match talk by some of the Australian media about “engineered pitches” seemed presumptuous, as the VCA Stadium course appears to be a typical dry Indian wicket, which will gradually take a significant turn from day two onwards.
A turn is offered but that is standard for Indian wickets and the way Smith and Labuschagne played showed that good technique is the key to adaptability in all circumstances.
Pat Cummins did win a good coin toss and opted to bat as fourth at bat would be a tough task on a field that will deteriorate as the game progresses. A score of 275 in the first innings could put Australia in a very good position to dictate the terms in this game.
Khawaja got a classic outswinger from Siraj (inswinger for southpaw) and Rohit Sharma was right when he took the DRS which went in favor of India.
In Warner’s case, Shami came around the wicket and fired from the side of the crease and the angled throw sent the southpaw off-stump for a cartwheel.
India appeared to be in control before the world test No. 1 took the lead. Labuschagne started off with a perfect straight from Siraj, then deliberately used the pace of his throw to get boundary through the fourth slip empty area.
But two of his best shots were – break up Axar’s bowling and drive Ashwin inside out.
Ashwin tried to pin the batters on the leg stub line, but his trick didn’t work well at least in the first session.
(with PTI inputs)
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