Any game plan heading into a Test match must contain more than just a hint of pragmatism about it, India’s positive and aggressive strategy in the opening session of this eagerly awaited Test series perhaps overlooked some rather critical factors and was in fact edging towards reckless. The remainder of the day saw India (or more pertinently Pujara) have to fight their way back into the contest to establish some semblance of near parity.
India seemed intent on gaining the early upper hand, that initial momentum to put the hosts on the back foot. Australia opted to sacrifice the all-round skills of Mitchell Marsh for the opening Test in order to try and bolster what is a fragile and inexperienced batting line-up and so have just four specialist bowlers to rely upon in the extreme Adelaide heat.
This Adelaide pitch offered just enough swing and nip, Edgbaston on an overcast day in early summer this was not, plus the likelihood of this assistance lasting too much past the opening hour was minimal. Having won the toss India were planning on draining the energy from the Australians and ensure they endured a long day in the field.
Step forward Chetashwar Pujara, who we’ll come to later. The only successful batsman of the day did not seem the ideal candidate to implement India’s apparent strategy. The reason ? The strategy applied by the rest of the top seven was seriously flawed.
Facing this Australia attack in their own conditions is exceptionally challenging and a strategy for both survival and to flourish is imperative. However, India lost four wickets in the opening session with a flurry of impatient drives, gifts that these Aussies need no invitation to accept.
KL Rahul went after a full swinging ball in the second over, Vijay looked unsettled and not at his fluent best and snicked off a full one from Starc. Kohli came and went very quickly by his standards when looking to over impose himself and driving at one too wide resulting in a stunning catch from Usman Khawaja in the gully. Rahane showed similar intent and the plan was clear to attack Nathan Lyon and force him out of the attack and give the quicks more work than they would have wished for in the sapping heat. Problem is Lyon is actually a bloody good spin bowler and rarely gets dominated. Despite Lyon not claiming the wicket of Rahane he also gave it away to Hazlewood with yet another ill-advised poorly selected drive.
All the old fashioned batting virtues are still applicable in Test cricket despite them being woefully out of fashion - patience, discipline, grit, determination, technique, all boring and outdated according to the new age batsman. However, Pujara expertly demonstrated these skills. His 50 took 153 deliveries with his 16th century coming off 231 balls. Australia were bowling well and he was displaying the requisite watchful nature to nullify arguably the world’s best attack.
Pujara’s special innings was built around several cut shots, fleet of foot against Lyon, and those typical flicks of the legs when the bowlers erred in line. Sometimes the best strategies are the simple ones, the pitch is flat, it’s hard work for the fielding side and it should have been much harder for Australia today, specifically in the morning session. Get through that tough first hour and settle in for the day. Easier said than done admittedly but even more difficult when a side with little game time on the tour to this point attempt an elaborate over-attacking method.
