Published: Feb 28, 2017, 02:26 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 28, 2017, 02:26 PM (IST)
Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe‘s magical bowling had put India into a disheartening defeat of 333 runs in the first Test at Pune. But India seems to have credited the Pune pitch for the shocking loss and have refused to credit O’Keefe’s role in the Australian triumph over India. India considered as the best Test cricket team with world class spinners had to face a humiliating defeat from Australia, which ended their unbeaten streak after 19 Tests. O’Keefe’s 12-wicket haul in the first Test earned him the Man-of-the-Match title but the hosts refused to praise him for the Australian victory. Harbhajan Singh says he would like to see O’Keefe bowling on a non-conducive wicket for spinners, whereas Shastri wrote that Indians played the Australian spinner poorly. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia, 1st Test at Pune
Harbhajan, who had earlier predicted a complete whitewash of Australia in the Test series against India, is still not convinced by O’Keefe’s performance. He wants O’Keefe to perform well on a better track.
“I will have to see [O’Keefe] bowl on a good Test match wicket. Not this one,” the 36-year-old told reporters. “Until then, I will reserve my comments.”
O’Keefe along with the off-spinner, Nathan Lyon had claimed all 10 wickets in the second innings to restrict the hosts for 107 runs.
“To be honest, that wasn’t a pitch,” Singh, a veteran of 103 Tests, said of the surface used for the series opener.
“Test cricket should last five days. You cannot play on such wickets where anyone runs in to bowl and takes wickets. I have played in over 100 Tests, and I know how hard I had to work to earn every single wicket.”
Harbhajan believes that O’Keefe just had to be accurate and bowl faster through the air.
“You don’t need to flight the ball or anything. You just need to bowl fast and not give the batsmen room to either come down the track, or be able to manoeuvre the ball around. Bowling six deliveries in the same spot is all you need to get wickets on such tracks,” he added.
Former India team director Shastri was also not impressed with O’Keefe as he feels that the left-arm spinner was richly rewarded for his accuracy against the leaden-footed Indian batsmen.
“Steve O’Keefe was controlled and accurate while his preys looked for spin which wasn’t always there,” the former test batsman wrote in a column that appeared in Times of India.
“They invariably ended up playing wrong lines. They didn’t use their feet much either … It’s an issue which can’t be left pending even on fair tracks as even they would scruff up in second innings. Indians must find a way to break O’Keefe’s rhythm,” added Shastri.
