Kohli, Ashwin tops in ICC Ranking

But Smith and Matthew Wade got together to carry the visitors’ second innings past the 200-run mark. Steve O’Keefe bowled between good and full length forcing the batsmen to play at them, rather leave. India would have got Smith out for 72 if they had a review left.

The Pune pitch that was described as “Martian” by Test legend Shane Warne has been rated as “poor” by International Cricket Council Match Referee Chris Broad. If after 18 or 19 tests, we play one bad game, you have to accept that it’s a part of global cricket. “So it has been an incredibly long time”, Australian captain Steve Smith said. Twenty years later, against Pakistan again, India’s leading wicket-taker Anil Kumble, left his leg-spin aside and bowled medium pace, thus showing his disgust at the slowness of the track. “It’s pleasing we’re learning, trying to improve in different ways”.

The performance was in sharp contrast to the 3-0 series loss in Sri Lanka a year ago.

“Even a part-timer can get four wickets if you don’t apply yourself”.

After tea, Australia made short work of the Indian tail. Pujara ended up being the top-scorer with 31 runs.

Ravindra Jadeja was the next to go while attempting a cut off Lyon.

O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon shared all 10 wickets to fall in India’s second innings.

The hosts were reeling at 99/6 at the tea break and the Australians needed only six overs after the restart to complete the win. The most famous of these would be his fiery clash with Virat Kohli at Adelaide in 2014.

To the surprise of many, Australia adapted better to post a famous victory.

Then in 2004, Michael Clarke, now in India as TV pundit but then on his debut, slammed a maiden century to set up another Australia win, eventually leading to a rare series win too.

O’Keefe bagged 12 wickets whereas Ashwin and Jadeja managed 12 between them. Now, we need to see how India bounce back from this humbling defeat.

“I obviously rode my luck throughout the innings, and had a few lives”. But he said the team needed improvement.

The Indian captain also rued the dropped catches that allowed counterpart Steven Smith to score a hundred. “We were outplayed on all three days”.

Ashwin finished with 4-119.

India suffered a 333-run loss in the first Test against Australia and were bowled out for 105 and 107 in the first and second innings respectively. After the next Test in Bangalore, the two teams are also due to play in Ranchi and Dharamsala.