Ashwin wreaks havoc, India thump Australia by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur
Nagpur: A wily Ravichandran Ashwin blew away a panic-stricken Australia with a fifer as India dismantled visitors’ second innings in a single session to win the opening Test by a comprehensive innings and 132 run-margin, here Saturday.
After taking massive 223-run first innings lead, India decimated Australia for just 91 in 32.3 overs with the Test match finishing inside three days at VCA stadium in Jamtha.
It’s rare that an Australian innings folds inside one session.
After Axar Patel’s career-best 84 and Mohammed Shami’s entertaining 37 took India to a commanding first innings total of 400, Ashwin (5/37) literally mauled the Australians with the new ball, taking his 31st five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
The Australian batters once again made the cardinal mistake of playing the pitch rather than the bowler and looked utterly confused on whether to defend or attack.
The Indian innings showed that demons were in the minds of Australian batters and not in the 22-yard strip.
The intent was to be positive but even with all the simulated training sessions, it was always going to be difficult to read Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja (2/34), latter playing the second fiddle this time.
They didn’t have slightest clue which one was turning and which one was coming straight.
Usman Khawaja (5) after hitting a boundary was lured with a tossed up off-break outside his off-stump and his half slash-half drive effort went into Virat Kohli’s hands in the slips.
Marnus Labuschagne (17) hit a few boundaries but when Jadeja flighted one which turned a shade after pitching, the right-hander premeditatedly rocked on to the back-foot rather than coming on the front-foot.
The result was an easy leg-before decision.
David Warner’s (10) stay was struggle and after he charged Ashwin to get two boundaries, Ashwin bowled a slider and he wasn’t half forward this time and got rapped on the pads.
Matt Renshaw was then trapped on the backfoot and right-hander Peter Handscomb got a classical off-break which would have disturbed the timber anyway. Alex Carey for the second time went for a non-existent sweep shot and perished.
Steve Smith could only helplessly watch as wickets fell like nine pins at the other end. He tried delaying the inevitable without much success.
Mohammed Shami (2/13), after a solid batting show put the final nail in the Australian coffin by trapping Scott Boland.
Earlier, Axar Patel’s resolute 84 and Shami’s entertaining 37 gave India a massive 223-run first innings lead. The hosts posted 400 by third day lunch session after resuming the day at 321 for seven.
My plan was to lure Australia batters to play drives: Ashwin
India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said on Saturday his plan to lure the Australian batters to play the drive shots and induce mistakes from them on a slow Nagpur track worked well as the home side won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs here.
Ashwin was India’s highest wicket-taker with figure of 8 for 79, with a five-for in Australia’s second innings on the third day on Saturday.
“The wicket was very slow. I have been saying this all through the Test. (It’s) Not one of those pitches where you might get the gloves ripping off at short leg or silly point. You need to get the batsman driving on this wicket,” Ashwin said after the match
Jadeja fined 25% of match fee
Ravindra Jadeja was found guilty of breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the first Test against Australia in Nagpur when he applied cream on his left index finger without the umpire’s permission during the first innings.
“Ravindra Jadeja was found to have breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to displaying conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game,” an ICC statement said.
“In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Jadeja’s disciplinary record. This was his first offence in a 24-month period,” it added.
In a footage, shared on Twitter on Day 1, Jadeja was seen taking something from Mohammed Siraj’s hand and applying it on his left index finger. The cameras then displayed the all-rounder seemingly rubbing it on his bowling finger for a short period while being in discussion with captain Rohit Sharma. In this case, Siraj had the ointment on his finger and Jadeja scooped it onto his fingers.
