O’Keefe takes six as Australia skittle India for 105

Pune wicket was a rank turner from Day 1. It was so special, so rare, that Steven Smith knew to the day the length of the drought his men had broken.

This was the 10th home Test of India’s summer. India have not lost a single game since August 15, 2015. Their previous least balls faced in a home Test was at the Wankhede Stadium against Australia in 2004-05, which they had won.

Steve Smith showed how to bat on the wicket by scoring his maiden hundred in India to propel Australia to 285, an overall lead of 440 runs. “It was great that we were able to get such a big lead and give our bowlers plenty to bowl at”.

A captain’s knock of 109 from Steve Smith helped Australia set India an imposing target of 441 at lunch on Saturday. Nearly everyone thought that India will lose this Test. But considering the highest successful Test chase was 418, by the West Indies against Australia in 2003, it wasn’t really looking good for the hosts. Before the start of the game, he said there is something for everyone in this wicket.

Two deliveries later, Rahane was out for 13 off O’Keefe, who also dismissed wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha in the same over. The third session started and ended with a blink of an eye. “It’ll be interesting to see what they’ll come up with [for the second Test]”. In comparison, Aussies played out 90 and 87 overs in their first and second innings respectively against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav who together have taken more than 100 wickets this season. Everyone wrote us off and expected India to win 4-0.

Kohli felt India did not deserve to win after dropping catches.

Murali Vijay dropped one at leg slip, then substitute fielder Abhinav Mukund dropping twice – one at mid on and the other at forward short leg.

KL Rahul was the only Indian batsman who managed to get past 20-run mark in the 1st innings. But Smith made sure of it, scored freely on both sides of the wicket, using his feet to India’s spinners, and forging partnerships of outcome with several men in the middle and lower order. That marked the beginning of India’s worst 7-wicket batting collapse in the history of their Test cricket performance. “The Indian batsmen needed to realise that they needed to stay on the wicket”, NDTV quoted Gavaskar as saying.

O’Keefe’s previous best bowling figures were 3-53 against Pakistan in Sydney a month ago.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Kohli said: “Australia were much better in all three days, there’s not much we can take from this, take it on the chin”.

In the opening day of a four-match series between the world’s top two sides, Renshaw’s innings and some late Mitchell Starc fireworks pulled Australia back from the brink as they reached 256 for nine at stumps. WICKET! Starc departs. he has again played a lovely cameo.