Pune: India capitulated for a second time in the match, falling to their first Test defeat of the season that broke a 20-match unbeaten home streak in Tests. The hosts were bowled out for 107 in 33.5 overs in their second innings to lose by a humiliating 333-run margin inside three days in the first Test against Australia here on Saturday.
The sizeable weekend crowd couldn’t spur the Virat Kohli led side as they conceded 142 runs in the extended first session (41 overs) while taking the remaining six wickets to bowl out Australia.
India then came up with yet another poor batting display on a dry and turning track. It was one of the worst combined efforts in batting by India on home soil.
Steeve O’Keefe repeated his first innings show of 6/35 (12 wickets in all) and Nathan Lyon picked up 4/53 as the two Australian spinners ran through the Indian innings in no time.
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. He mixed caution with aggression to score 109 runs in 204 balls with 11 boundaries.
Chasing an improbable target of 441, India made scratchy start as Murali Vijay, despite getting a life, didn’t last long as O’Keefe trapped him in front in his first over. K.L. Rahul stayed back to a low ball from Lyon in the next over as both openers were back in first six overs, eating up both reviews available.
India’s batsmen were playing for the turn and Kohli (13) did same but left a straight one from O’Keefe to see his off stump rattled. India were 47/3 in 17th over and going nowhere. Rahane (18) showed brief aggression but made an immediate exit courtesy a soft dismissal.
Australia then successfully reviewed a lbw decision against Ravichandran Ashwin as nothing went India’s way. Wriddhiman Saha fell at the stroke of tea to give O’Keefe second five-for in the match.
Cheteshwar Pujara top scored with 31 but also fell immediately after tea. Lyon wrapped up the tail quickly to trigger wild celebrations.
In the morning, signs were ominous about how the deteriorating wicket would behave. The track produced vicious turn and bounce for Ravindra Jadeja who like on Day 2 final session continued to bowl unplayable deliveries to Smith and Mitchell Marsh.Smith who offered three chances on Friday continued to ride his luck by getting early an boundary through leg slip as Rahane failed to pluck a tough chance. However India had their first success of the day when Jadeja got through Marsh’s defense on 31 to end a 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Saha nailed the faint outside edge
