Rampant India run riot as Australia surrender without a fight. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
The typical Aussie grit and refusal to cave in without a fight is under serious question as India crushed a home team who offered meek resistance before capitulating to an embarrassing 295 run defeat in Perth.
What is glaringly obvious is that apart from Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey, none of the others had it in them to make it difficult for the opposition despite the colossal task ahead.
The wicket in Perth showed familiar characteristics as it deteriorated to a mess with cracks and chunks off it made the bounce and movement off it a test of skill for the batters.
This does not in any way take the shine off a well drilled Indian outfit bent on proving that they have not nosedived from their proud standing after an uncharacteristic mauling at home by New Zealand prior to this.
The Indians were clinical in their execution as they outplayed Australia in every department of the game asserting their superiority with both bat and ball.
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Harshit Rana led the rout with the ball before Jaiswal and Kholi drove home the advantage to put the result beyond Australia’s reach. Bumrah, leading from the front, was lethal in his match bag of 8 for 66 which was pivotal to India’s victory.
Obviously Pat Cummins strategy to spin the wheel and try the unconventional in a fervent bid to save the game, backfired badly against an opponent better equipped with their winning strategy. Losing three wickets by the end of day two put them on the backfoot and in a position of vulnerability. They showed little fight and resigned themselves to their fate.
The early loss of Usman Kawaja to an irresponsible pull shot early in the innings from a ball best left alone, saw Travis Head show the way with a dazzling array of strokes as he battled the Indians attack without much discomfort.
He was unfortunate to miss out on a well deserved century finding the outside edge to a rising Bumrah delivery which brought out a bizarre celebration from the Indian captain. Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey followed suit while the rest floundered on the unpredictable surface falling to the unplayable Bumrah and Mohamed Siraj who scripted a famous Indian win.
Complacence, and resting on laurels of the past, is not the recipe for ongoing success as the Aussies found out, as India found a blueprint to rectify embarrassment from the past where the Aussies turned tables on them when they were favourites.
It underlined the importance of being switched on and to respecting the opposition who may have done their homework and executed their plans to perfection.
India made a dream start to the Border-Gavaskar series with this win setting the stage for a gruelling encounter ahead in the four games to follow.
Australia’s nightmares may have got worse with the return of India’s skipper Rohit Sharma after his wife’s birth of their second child. With Shubman Gill also waiting in the sidelines and available for selection the task for Australia looms larger.
India will be cock-a-hoop from here on as the Aussies try to regain their composure and fight back to save face.
