India vs Australia Live Updates 1st Test Day 1: ‘Pat bowled rubbish,’ Hayden lashes at Cummins and Co.

“You just can’t get bogged down on this pitch and just try and survive. The thing is you have to look for runs, that is important. You have to keep the scoreboard moving. You can’t allow the bowlers to get on top,” – Dilip Vengsarkar

In an interesting turn of events, former Australia batter Mark Waugh reserved the ultimate praise for Cheteshwar Pujara. 

While doing commentary on Day 1 of the first Test in Nagpur, the ex-Australia cricketer said: “Rohit Sharma class player, Virat Kohli world class, Pujara – Thor in the side.”

Two Australian batters got out for ducks while three batters including both openers were dismissed after scoring just one run in the first innings.

“Pat Cummins,the captain of the side and he bowled rubbish today. He was too full and he didn’t know where he was going with his line and length. If you look at the pitch map, it was way too much that was straying there as well. And it was just a matter of that momentum because Rohit Sharma was standing right at the other end. It does get away from you know.” – Hayden.

“Pat Cummins, in particular got nothing out of the surface, nothing through the air. It was tougher to bat against the new ball and those two early wickets, of Khwaja was really one of the setback for Australia. Those two ducks and three guys for one(run). That’s what you got to avoid when you play in India.” -Matthew Hayden

“When you play first-class cricket, you get to bowl to quality batters. I played against Tamil Nadu, their batting was strong. So my preparation was good. It was a similar wicket in Chennai, the bounce was less. I repeated the stump-to-stump tactic.” – Jadeja 

“The ball was coming out of the hands well, the line and length were also good. The wicket doesn’t have much bounce so I was focusing on bowling stump to stump. I knew, if I do that, I can bring LBW and bowled into play.”

Ravindra Jadeja completed his dream return as he completed his 11th five-wicket haul, ensuring India finish the opening day on a commanding note. His figures read 5/47.  

Amidst some exciting cricket, fans also witnessed some off field tussle between former Australia batter Mark Waugh and India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik. 

Dinesh Karthik: “I do feel India will bat only once in the Test match.”

Mark Waugh: “We’ll see about that DK, we’ll see about that.”

Dinesh Karthik: “Mark my words Mark.”

Mark Waugh: “What time is it. It’s five past three. I’ll write that in my diary. He could be right. It’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be a stroll in the park.”

Dinesh Karthik: “But at the same time, it’s not as tough as the Aussie batters made it out to be either.”

Mark Waugh: “All I’m saying is never judge a pitch until two sides have bat. Lets see how things unfold. It’s a big session, Australia won’t let India get away. This Indian Test batters not as good as some of the Australians. I can’t see two guys averaging 60.”

Dinesh Karthik: “Well there was just one there in India, that average 60.”

Mark Waugh: “Rohit Sharma class player, Virat Kohli world class, Pujara Thor in the side.”

India’s day through and through in the end. Rohit Sharma’s half century is the one that stamped it for them. While their spinners did a great job of getting Australia all out for 177, the fact is that they had scored at a good click in the second session and a few early wickets here for Australia would have put them in the driver’s seat. Instead what ended up happening was almost a T20-esque opening stand for India with Rohit being the aggressor and Rahul holding up one end. Australia have their task cut out tomorrow, India would be eyeing a big lead considering the amount of good batting they have left. 

Ashwin has coming out as nightwatchman. Peculiar choice for a nightwatchman, considering Ashwin is pretty much a genuine all-rounder, they could have sent in Siraj or Shami for this but this is a chance for Ashwin to make a big total now. Nathan Lyon to bowl the last over. 

Todd Murphy’s first Test wicket is KL Rahul! Rahul looking to flick this delivery that is tossed up from around the wicket, ends up scooping it back to the bowler. 

KL Rahul c & b Murphy 20 (71), India 76/1

Sweeps Lyon to the boundary behind fine leg and gets to 51 off 66. What a way to get to the half century, what an innings this has been from the Indian captain. He has hammered Australia everywhere. 

Rohit Sharma has moved to 43 off 62 while Rahul is on 16 off 59. Murphy and Lyon bowling consecutive overs after Cummins sent one in. 

Most of it has come from the bat of Rohit, 38 of it to be specific. This is exactly the kind of start India needed and it does look like they are bound to dominate this match. 

India are 46/0 in 14 overs. Rohit steps down the track to Lyon and sends the ball sailing to the boundary over the bowler’s head. First six of the match and of course it comes from Rohit’s bat. He is on 38 off 46 balls. 

Rohit Sharma is on 32 off 42, KL Rahul on 5 off 31. 12 overs have gone in the innings and there is about 12 overs left in the day. 

Scott Boland has been taken off and so it is spin from both ends with Todd Murphy sending them in from one end and Nathan Lyon from the other. 

It’s Nathan Lyon at the receiving end. A lovely little push past mid-off for four. He has raced to 31 off 28, India are 33/0. 

Pat Cummins is a shadow of his usual, vicious self. Strays down the leg side again and Rohit glances it off his hip for another boundary. He has raced to 26 off 22. 

Half volley from Cummins, Rohit flicks between long leg and deep square leg. 

No big alarm bells yet for India. All the runs have come from Rohit, Rahul remains on 0 in eight balls. 

That is not a very Test match start but that is how Rohit is going to treat bowlers whenever they give him anything to play with. Early pressure on Australia. 

Too full and too straight again from Cummins, Rohit flicks it off once again. The Australian captain leaking just too many runs. 

Eight runs off the first two balls for Rohit. This was as deliberate as it gets. Cummins bowls it full and straight to the pads and Rohit clips it away with perfect timing. 

Rohit caught in two minds ends up belatedly putting some bat on it and luckily for him, it flies through the slip cordon. 

Australia captain Pat Cummins will start the attack for his side. Rohit Sharma has been in form at the top of the order, although it is unclear if that form really counts for anything considering he has missed the majority of the Tests that India have played since he became captain last year. 

Carrom ball from Ashwin cleans up Boland and that is the end of the Australian innings. Ashwin finishes with three wickets, Jadeja has five and he leads the team off the pitch. Australia won’t be too happy with that total for sure, they looked good enough to get to 200 when Smith and Labuschagne were batting. They will certainly be worried about the fact that they have a terribly long tail. A short break before Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul walk out for the Indian reply. 

A five-wicket haul on return for Jadeja. He goes full and fast, Handscomb tries to sweep, he misses it and the ball raps the pads. That looks plumb but Handscomb obviously takes the review anyhow. He is standing near the boundary when the television umpire’s confirmation comes. 

Handscomb lbw b Jadeja 31 (84), Australia 176/9

He has burst his way to four wickets in his first international match since August last year. India desperately needed a wicket when Smith and Labuschagne were looking serene and it was Jadeja who provided it and he doubled that up with a wicket off the very next ball. 

Lots of wickets and lots of runs in that session. Both sides won’t be extremely unhappy with it, although it might be the Indians with the slightly bigger smile. 

Jadeja gets his fourth. Seemingly takes an inside edge off Todd Murphy’s bat on to his pads and it loops to slips. The batter goes for the review and the replays in fact confirm there was no inside edge. Instead he is out LBW so Murphy has to walk anyhow. 

Todd Murphy lbw b Jadeja 0 (5), Australia 173/8

Kohli had dropped Smith earlier but this one is straight at him. Outside edge from Cummins and the former India captain grabs it quite easily. Make that 451 for Ashwin, this Australian tail does not have too many runs in it and so India will be looking to make quick work of it. 

Cummins c Kohli b Ashwin 6 (14), Australia 172/7 in 57.3 overs

Handscomb is on 27 off 56 and Australia captain Pat Cummins is on six off five. Cummins can bat and he is more than capable of holding up one end. 

Carey reverse sweeps again but this time he falls for it. It takes the bottom edge and crashes on to the stumps. That partnership ends on 53 off 68 balls. Ashwin becomes the second Indian bowler to reach 450 Test wickets. 

Carey b Ashwin 36 (33), Australia 162/6 in 53.1 overs

The runs are a-flowing. 50-run stand comes up between Carey and Handscomb in just 63 balls. Carey drives at the first delivery that was full, he pushed hard and it takes an edge and flies down third man. Then he guides the next ball between slip and gully.  

These two have made Rohit Sharma juggle his bowlers a little bit. First Siraj and then he was replaced by Axar, then Siraj comes in place of Jadeja so a change of ends for him. This stand has come in just 61 balls and Australia are 153/5. 

Australia cross 150 with that shot. Carey goes down to the pitch of the ball and sweeps it fine. He has raced to a run-a-ball 27. 

Not sure if bringing on Siraj was the greatest move from Rohit and it looks like he might be taking him off after this. 

He had welcomed Siraj with a square drive off the second ball and then brings out a cover drive to send the fourth to the boundary as well. Slightly expensive over for India. 

Rohit Sharma has decided to bring in pace considering Handscomb and Carey look quite comfortable sweeping the spinners away. Good job from the pair in getting the Indian captain to take a spinner off. Handscomb is on 20 off 42 and Carey is on 13 off 16. 

Peter Handscomb is on 20 off 33 balls, Alex Carey is on 10 off seven. Carey is reverse sweeping away to glory. Australia are on the tenterhooks at the moment. However, they would know that even getting something close to 200 or 220 would  be a competitive total on this pitch. 

Jadeja seems to be intent on using the no-ball rule to his advantage, it was part of his setup for Smith in his last over and he oversteps once  more in his next. No wickets in it though, Alex Carey and Peter Handscomb in the middle. 

Oh that’s the big one! Ravindra Jadeja has shown just why he is utterly undroppable. Smith defending for the turn but there is none this time, it goes straight and takes the stumps behind him. How about that for a scalp!

Steve Smith b Ravindra Jadeja 37 (107), Australia 109/5

Smith goes inside out and sends the last ball of that over to the boundary as well. Fantastic batting this from the former Australia captain. He reaches 37 off 102 balls. 

Australia cross 100 with that second boundary. Axar goes too full first ball Smith flays it through covers. Then sends the third ball to backward point to take Australia to 101.  

Four runs off the last ball of that over but not because the ball reached but because the batters ran all four. Handscomb has held up pretty well thus far, he is on 8 off 13, Smith on 25 off 96. 

And on top of that he bowls a no-ball but it is no unmitigated disaster due to this not being a limited overs game. Just a smile from Jadeja when that hooter went off in the stadium. 

Big appeal off the very next ball and the umpire gives it out! Matt Renshaw reviews. Length ball that spins sharply past his inside edge. That spun through the pitch and there was a big puff of dust after the ball made contact. The ball would have crashed into leg stump. Jadeja is on a hat-trick and all of a sudden, India have raced ahead. 

Renshaw lbw b Jadeja 0 (1), Australia 84/4

Lightning fast glove work from KS Bharat and Jadeja gets the big wicket.  Labuschagne st Bharat b Jadeja 49 (123), Australia 84/3

Smith gets a four off the third ball of that over. Big appeal for LBW against Labuschagne off the fifth but there was a big inside edge there. Australia 81/2 after 33 overs. 

The Indians have made their way back to the field. It has been a while since a pair of batters have looked this comfortable against them in their home conditions so it’s an intriguing that is coming up next. 

Thus far the pacers have reaped the dividends but that is because the spinners have run into a brick wall with Smith and Labuschagne. The odd ball has kicked up, notably from Ashwin’s hands in his first over against Labuschagne. 

Marnus Labuschagne is on 47 off 110, Steve Smith on 19 off 74. Australia have not pulled miles ahead, if anything this stand has ensured that they remain centimetres behind India, as opposed to being down and out which would have happened had Smith and Labuschagne not plugged the fall of wickets. India will know that there are not too many great batters left for Australia after these two but then, getting one of them dismissed is a big task. The visitors still have a long way to go to ensure that they have the clear advantage, but they are in a good place at the moment.  

Rohit Sharma takes off his goggles and scratches his head. This partnership is becoming a problem for India. Labuschagne goes down on one knee, gets to the pitch of the ball and scoops it through the vacant leg slip region. He moves to 46.

This is the 30th over already of this session and there is still about 5 minutes to go. Labhuschagne and Smith, however, are in absolute control at the moment. Smith showing that he can very well repeat what he did the last time Australia toured India, Labuschagne showing that he is an ace batter in all conditions. 

Flicks the first ball by Jadeja in the 29th off the pads to the midwicket boundary. Brilliant timing there, played it against the spin and still he was in complete control. 

Partnership between these two is on 55 runs now. Smith and Labuschagne look pretty comfortable against the spinners as well. 

Ashwin will be bowling the 22nd over of the innings. He is on 449 wickets, will he get to that mark in his first over?

Labuschagne is on 24 off 66, Smith finally got off six with a boundary off Jadeja and is now on 10 off 34 balls. The pacers seem to be off completely now and it is Axar and Jadeja who are alternating for India. 

Kohli is not quick to get down to his right as the ball takes an outside edge from Smith’s bat off Axar Patel. It strikes his right hand and falls. Not the easiest of chances but these are the ones that you need to take at slips to ensure that someone like Smith does not score big. 

Brilliant from Labuschagne, leans into the drive and sends Shami to the boundary. Australia are 33/2 at the end of that over. 

The first hour’s play has come to an end. Labuschagne has faced 50 deliveries for 15 runs, Smith 20 for six runs. Shami has bowled the 13th over. 

It’s Siraj and Axar who are alternating at the moment. Smith remains on six runs after facing 18 balls, Labuschagne is on 14 off 39. 

Jadeja’s over is a maiden after which Axar comes in. Labuschagne sees that one out and so no runs from the first two overs of spin. Smith and Labuschagne choosing to be as patient as they can be. Siraj comes in to bowl the 9th after that so Rohit mixing things up at the moment. 

And Ravindra Jadeja is back! He ties up his hair into a knot. Labuschagne is on strike having scored 13 off 16 balls, Smith at the other end on 6 off 12.b Australia 25/2 in 6 overs. In T20 language, this would be where we would say that’s been a good powerplay for India but we won’t say that here, thank you. 

Labuschagne is on 8 off 11 balls, Steve Smith on 6 off 11. This is a big partnership for Australia and so far, these two are looking far more compact than either of the openers did earlier. Smith averages 60.55 in India in 13 Tests. Just an extraordinary player and Indian fans who love cricket as much as they like to watch their team win would not really mind watching him flourish today. One of the modern greats. 

Thickish edge that flies past slips for four. Siraj seems to have taken offence from Labuschagne’s habit of loudly analysing every delivery after it is bowled. 

Siraj’s first ball of his first over was a wicket, the first ball of the second is sent to the boundary by Marnus Labuschagne for four. Dead straight, right past Siraj, as straight a drive as it gets. Labuschagne has made an utterly extraordinary start to his Test career but this is his first series in India and it will be interesting to see how he fares here. 

That is unplayable from Shami. Pitches on a length, slight movement inside and the ball swings past the inside edge. The ball smashes into off stump that goes cartwheeling, bails bursting and flying everywhere, nothing more satisfying for a fast bowler. Australia have lost their openers and the spinners and roughs haven’t even come into play!

Warner b Mohammed Shami 1 (5), Australia 2/2 in 2.1 overs

How about that from Siraj. That was as plumb as it gets. Full outswinger from Siraj, just misses Khawaja’s inside edge and when the replays showed that, it was pretty clear that he is gone. Three reds it is and India have an early wicket. Siraj takes one with his very first ball of the match. Who needs spinners, eh?

Khawaja lbw b Mohammed Siraj 1 (3), Australia 2/1 in 1.1 overs

The first delivery of the second over raps onto Khawaja’s pads and the umpire shakes his head. Rohit takes the review after a lengthy discussion between the Indians. 

Khawaja has been the man in form and Warner has had a topsy-turvy last few months. Both are left handers and so it will be interesting to see how they fare today. Mohammed Shami bowls the first over for India. 

The players walk out, the Indians led by Rohit Sharma, the Aussies led by Pat Cummins. They will stand side by side for the national anthems, the Australian anthem first and then the Indian. 

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland

Rohit Sharma(c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

“We would have batted too. Looks pretty dry. There will be help for spinners. We got to wait and see how much it does. Yesterday when we started we did see some seam movement for the pacers up front. We have had a good prep for the last 5-6 days. We trained on the aspects in store. This is a big one. We know the importance of the series but we also understand it’s about winning one session at a time. It’s a long series.”

“We are going to bat. Looks like a pretty even wicket towards the middle. 2017 was a big series. Can’t wait to get this started. We have had good preparation. We feel we are really well placed. Two changes Todd Murphy in. Handscomb in for Travis Head.”

Australia have won the toss, Cummins chooses to bat first. 

Right, here are Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins in their Test blazers. KL Rahul is practising, Rohit will most probably say that there will be no Gill today.  

Suryakumar Yadav has been handed his maiden Test cap by Ravi Shastri. KS Bharat will make his debut as well, having been handed the cap by Cheteshwar Pujara. India have hence opted to go with the better wicktkeeper and chances are that there will be no Shubman Gill today. 

Regardless of what the spinning wicket is like, it will always be one where Ashwin would be almost unplayable. He is one wicket away from he second quickest to the milestone behind Muralitharan to reach 450 Test wickets. 

Australia’s last Test tour of India was fiery to say the least. There was the brain fade moment where Steve Smith looked towards the dressing room while contemplating whether to take a DRS or not, leading to Virat Kohli stepping just short of calling them cheats. Virat Kohli would later say that some friendships with the Australian players have been permantently damaged. That was in 2017 though, and since then Kohli has stepped for Smith in the 2019 World Cup and become chums with Glenn Maxwell playing for RCB so it’s all good. Let’s hope that doesn’t mean it will be an overly friendly series though, some fire is always great in Test cricket. 

They will say a lot more during the toss that will happen in just under 35 minutes but this is what they had to say in the pre-match pressers. 

Pat Cummins: “I think that’s part of the challenge of playing away. Home teams want to win at home. In Australia we’re lucky we’ve got pace and bounce. But home match advantage, I don’t think it’s a terrible thing. It’s just another challenge and it makes touring over here even harder when you know that the conditions are custom-made for them.”

Rohit Sharma: “Speaking about the [talk of a] doctored wicket, I just feel that you’ve got to focus on the cricket that’s going to be played for the next five days, and not worry too much about the pitch. The last series that we played here, a lot was spoken about the pitches and all that. I think all 22 cricketers who are going to play, they are all quality cricketers, so not to worry too much about what the pitch is going to be like, how much is it turning, how much is it seaming and all those kind of things. You’ve got to just come out and play good cricket and win the game, as simple as that.”

The fact remains, though, that the Nagpur pitch is an unusual one. Most of the pitch appears reasonably well-watered, with a smattering of grass, and has two sharply defined bare areas at both ends of the pitch. That corresponds to a spinner’s good length and a left-handed batter’s off stump. The balls landing in those areas will behave inconsistenty and on top of that, it will wear down even more as the match progresses. It means that the going will be difficult for left hand batters, especially in the second innings, and Australia filled to brim with them.

The former India captain seems to have returned to his scintillating best in white ball cricket, particularly ODIs, but Tests are a different matter. He had an indifferent series to say the least in the tour of Bangladesh and now he has a chance to get back to his best at home against familiar opponents. The numbers don’t make for good reading and Nathan Lyon’s off-spin is clearly something that he will have to find a way past. Since January 2021, Virat Kohli averages 25.67 against spin for 12 dismissals. Against off-spin, he has been dismissed six times at an average of 20.50.

Ian Healy found an early way of absolving Australia of any wrongdoing incase they get pancaked in this series by stating that a defeat for the visitors will occur if India produce “unfair” pitches. That was probably one of the early words thrown into the battle over the legitimacy of Indian pitches that is fought every time England or Australia come to play a Test series in the country. Rohit Sharma, though, simplified what the players had to do over the course of the series. “You’ve got to just come out and play good cricket and win the game, as simple as that.”

Openers: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (captain)

Middle-order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav

Wicketkeeper: KL Rahul (vice-captain)

All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin

Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav

Pacers: Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Shubman Gill seems unable to do any wrong at the moment and yet, there is a very realistic chance that he may not be included in the playing XI today at all. His opening position with captain Rohit Sharma is taken by KL Rahul, who will surely be given a run in the first two Tests at least despite his recent inconsistency. With the next two slots occupied by Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, Gill will surely have to play as a middle order batter coming in at No.5 but even there, he could miss out if India decide to be funky and give Suryakumar Yadav a go. Another combination that they could try is KL Rahul coming as a middle order batter, considering the fact that he will be India’s wicketkeeper in the absence of Rishabh Pant. In that case, they can actually include Rahul, SKY and Gill in the same XI. Won’t that be a sight.  

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Swepson, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Lance Morris

Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav

India and Australia have played each other in 12 series, 50 Test matches to be sure before the contest was given its current name in 1996/97. A total of 27 series have been played between the two sides, Australia have won 12 times while India have 10 victories, the rest being draws.  

It’s Test cricket time! A funny way of explaining the sport to one who is not aware of it and is curious enough to ask is that cricket is a game that is played over five days and we break for lunch and tea every now and then. Now, the new gen who have been given an overdose of the T20 smash and grab might wonder what in the world is the explainer on about but guess what kids, that is what cricket really is and so much more. From today, India and Australia, two of the heavyweights of the sport, will embark on a journey that will be a sporting contest but also a celebration of the original game. This won’t be about entertainment, it might be about attrition and survival and yet, there are few sights in the sport more entertaining than a bunch of professionals in whites batting an obscene number of balls and bowling an obscene number of overs and fielding for an obscene number of hours in a day and shaking hands at the end of it all. As stated earlier, it’s Test cricket time!