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India vs Australia, 1st Test, Day 3, preview: Virat Kohli’s men likely to fall in grave they dug for visitors

All in all, India have been nearly invincible in the last 2 years. This, however, may change for India are likely to chase around 400 in the last innings of the first Test at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.

Steve O'Keefe bagged 6-for to reduce India to 105 after their 1st innings © IANS
Steve O’Keefe bagged 6-for to reduce India to 105 © IANS

India have not lost a series since Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15. India have not lost a series at home since England toured in 2012-13. Virat Kohli has not lost a series as full-time captain. Let alone series, India have not lost a Test in 19 contests. All in all, India have been nearly invincible in the last 2 years. This, however, may change for India are likely to chase around 400 in the last innings of the first Test at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. From the cracks to uneven bounce, India will have to bat out of their skin to pull off the unlikely. Full cricket scorecard: India vs Australia, 1st Test

This is not the first time India fell into the grave they had dug for the opposition. In the series opener of ICC World T20 2016, the Nagpur track spell doom for their batsmen. It was prepared to catch New Zealand in spin. But little did India know that the gun they would hunt down the opposition with would backfire.

Same is their case in the Pune Test. On Day Two Indians batted as if they were playing in alien conditions. A few of them reacted as if they had been ditched or backstabbed, like they were deprived of their rights. Cheteshwar Pujara was out off a jaffa of a delivery. On a dry Indian wicket he fell off a ball that bounced an extra inch, like it does in Australia. There was a very little he could do. Then there was an encore of England summer 2013. Virat Kohli edged one in the slip cordon. India’s No. 2 and 3 were back in the pavilion in the same over. Mitchell Starc, Australia’s hope this tour, was already hitting headlines.

Before these two wickets, Josh Hazelwood had induced an outside edge off Murali Vijay’s bat. The top 3 had fallen to pacers. Meanwhile, both spinners Steven O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon had gone wicketless in their first spell.

KL Rahul slammed his second fifty. Ajinkya Rahane survived twice, as his inside edges flew past David Warner at leg-slip. India were struggling, but they were nowhere near a threat of losing the match. They needed another 166 to go past Australia’s 260. The likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and and Wriddhiman Saha, who had stitched 213-run stand in West Indies tour 2016, were yet to come. India also had all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha in their armoury. Adding another 166 was like a walk in the park — in fact a park of their own.

As fate would have it, the game turned on its head. India could add only 11 runs for the last 7 wickets. O’Keefe ran through a class-apart Indian batting line-up, picking 6 for 35. To make matters more demanding, the 6 wickets came in a matter of 6 overs (well, the first 3 came in one over).

India found themselves in a situation Australia should have been in. Kohli was no supposed to go for a duck. Rahane was not suppose to flinch. Saha was not supposed to succumb to pressure. India were not supposed to get bowled out for 105.

Australia now lead by 298, with Steven Smith unbeaten on 59. If they add another 100 runs, they will be clear favourites. If they do not, India anyway have to use attack as a mode of defence to triumph the improbable.

India do not know the code they had deciphered to sabotage the Australians. They do know their very own code. The match will finish on Day Three if India do not repair the damage.

The predictions are no-brainer. However, this is Test cricket. This is the format for the unprecedented. This is India. This is the land of great batsmen. This is Kohli’s own land. He has scored four double-tons in four consecutive Test series, three of them at home.

Not long ago did Pakistan come close to chasing a 400-plus target in the last innings. For that matter, India came close to pulling off the unlikely on the last day of the series opener of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014-15. India may chase down whatever Australia register. Or, their spirits will easily be dented if they do not figure out how to bat on this track, on what turned out to be a hell on earth for them.

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