India Plays Aggression Card as Aussies Dig In

It’s a tough old time going on in Bengaluru, where the sleeping Indian giant was forced to wake up and try and take the upper hand against an Australian team that is creating more of a fight in this series than anyone thought imaginable. Especially the Indians themselves. And so the stakes were raised in an effort to change the course of proceedings.

1. For all the reports suggesting that this pitch would not be doctored as was the one in Pune, it looks like it has all been a basket of falsities. The surface here at Bengaluru mightn’t be turning as violently as it did during the 1st Test, but it sure is changeable vertically. In the first session alone, at least four deliveries from Ishant and Yadav practically ran along the ground, getting ankle high. This is in the fourth session of the match that is supposed to extend to fifteen sessions. The Indians constantly threw their hands to their heads in anguish at not getting through the batsmen with this variable bounce, but how will their batsmen feel if (when) they are dismissed in such a way? They celebrated Mitch Marsh’s wicket with a shooter as though the bowling was the winner. I wonder how they will react if it happens to one of their own today. The surface is a disgrace, but once again nothing will be done about it because it produces ‘good Test cricket’. That’s fine on days four and five. Not day two.
2. The niggling (read sledging) was turned up today, and it was India who forced the issue. There was no doubt from the first ball that their intent was to get under the Australian players skin. That’s all fine, certainly if you listen to the ex-players in the commentary box. But where is the parity? The second Australia go down this kind of path they are lambasted by the media. No one in the media has breathed a bad word about this yet. All I’m after is consistency. I don’t like the way Australia bullies opponents in this way, and am all for it being brought to bear when it goes over the top. As long as the same is the case of other nations then there should be no problem.
3. India’s use of the DRS continues to astound. They blew three reviews yesterday that were not even close to being out, and complained every time their appeals were turned down by the umpires. In the heat of this environment, both Illingworth and Llong have been superb, unflappable. Shaun Marsh was plumb LBW to Ishant, but no ball was called, and the video proved it to be correct. Wonderful decision. Then an obvious inside edge was missed or ignored by India who reviewed the not out LBW decision. Wasted review one. Then Ashwin was adamant that Wade got a glove to a ball to first slip, and the review again proved the umpire correct. India once again have no reviews left until the end of the innings. Ludicrous, and possibly significant.
4. More important than any individual’s score yesterday was the partnerships. Half a dozen partnerships of 50 would get Australia to 300. They didn’t but most were significant – 52, 30, 52, 26, 3, 57, 17*. There has been no roll on of wickets, denying India the momentum they crave. It has gotten Australia a lead of 48 valuable runs. They need to double that somehow, but yesterday’s effort was of grit and determination, something we haven’t seen from an Australian team in this situation in some time.
5. Matthew Renshaw. Another dogged half century, most of the time with a smile on his face. He fought hard, and wasn’t perfect, but just kept fighting hard. It is fantastic to watch. His only downfall at the moment is when his concentration does snap. In Brisbane and Melbourne against Pakistan, and in the First Test as well, out trying to take down a spinner. It looks as though he decides he is going to take the spinner out of the attack, and he’s not going to stop until he succeeds – or fails. It was great bowling from Jadeja, completely out=thought his younger opponent. Renshaw will only learns from this, but he had done his job again.
6. Cometh the hour. Shaun Marsh was handpicked for this tour for just the situation he walked into. Two wickets down, he was the one to guide the middle order through the rough and make sure it didn’t collapse. And he succeeded here where he failed in Pune, with 138 runs added for four wickets before he fell. It wasn’t pretty, and he saw through reviews and no balls, but he looked the most in control of the Australian batsmen. It’s a job he will have to continue in the second innings if Australia is to win this Test.
7. Wade and Starc. How important is their duet going to be this afternoon? If they can both get away they may get the fifty extra runs Australia craves – or more! But let’s not be greedy, let’s get that 100 lead and see what we can do with it. Matthew Wade is so overdue for runs. Let’s hope he cashes in today.
8. Did anyone else feel dirty about putting our hopes in Marsh and Wade yesterday? It felt so unnatural after bagging them for weeks/months/years. Still, it is the lesser of two evils, the other being India succeeding in this Test.
9. Ishant and Yadav bowled brilliantly yesterday, with the only possible error being they didn’t bowl at the stumps enough. With the variable bounce in play, surely targeting the stumps was their best form of attack. Surely they will learn from this.
10. Ashwin got Warner yesterday with a beauty, and then finished with 1/75 from 41 overs. His tactics have again been questionable, bowling consistently outside the leg stump to the left handers. On a dodgy wicket, surely around the wicket, attacking the stumps, and using the variable spin and bounce to your advantage would have been a better option. Not that I’m complaining.

Yesterday was the most important day in this series so far. Still, before that the first day of the Test was. And now, Day Three becomes the most important day of the series so far. Australia’s eventual lead will dictate just how difficult India’s task is, which in turn will dictate how difficult Australia’s task is. The surface will be all encompassing, and the will of the bowlers, batsmen and fielders at critical mass. This Test has so much more ahead for the spectator. We couldn’t have wished for a more exciting and nerve racking series.