It is no secret that Michael Clarke loves to bat against India.
The 31-year-old made his Test debut against India, with a magnificent 151 in Bangalore in 2004, and has since been consistent in his performance against the subcontinent side. Statistics indicate a fourth of his career runs in the five-day format has come against India.
On Saturday, Clarke provided was yet another example of his affinity towards the Indian attack, one that proved a handful for his teammates. Had it not been for his resilient 91, the Australian total wouldn’t have had a semblance of respectability, having put up another disastrous performance with the bat.
Clarke’s 186-ball knock, his 26th Test fifty, was inclusive of nine hits to the fence and one over it, and during the course of his innings he put on 145 runs for the fifth wicket with Matthew Wade (62), the wicket-keeper completing his third Test fifty in the process.
Soon after the captain was dismissed, bowled by Ravindra Jadeja (three for 33) -- India’s best bowler on the day, Australia declared their innings (at 237 for nine in 85 overs), preferring to have a go at the Indian batsmen. The declaration happened 15 minutes before close of play and the home team was made to face three overs.
India survived the same, reaching five without loss.
Morning session (83 runs, 28 overs, four wickets):
Australia began the day facing a bit of a selection quandary.
Matthew Wade was not fit but the visitors had no back-up option when it came to wicket-keepers. So Wade was included the in squad even though there were a couple of changes, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon made way for Glenn Maxwell and Xavier Doherty.
The home team preferred not to tinker with a winning combination. That meant, Pragyan Ojha didn’t get an opportunity to play on his home ground.
Michael Clarke got it right with the coin for a second time in the series and had no hesitation in asking the home team to field first.
Australia albeit didn’t have the best of starts, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who went wicketless on debut in Chennai, rattled David Warner’s (6) stumps in his second over. In his third, Kumar had Ed Cowan (4) out leg before, though with some help from Marais Erasmus.
Replays suggested the ball had pitched outside leg stump. The South African umpire thought otherwise. No DRS has made the visitors suffer regularly in the series thus far and this case.
The visitors had lost both their openers inside five overs, with just 15 runs on board.
Shane Watson and Phillip Hughes put on 42 runs for the third wicket, hitting a few sweetly-timed and things seemed to be looking up for the visitors when Kumar, bowling continuously from the Visaka Industries end struck for a third time.
Watson, going for a pull off a short of a length delivery, was done in by the bounce, rather the lack of it. Kumar’s first spell figures (9-1-36-3) made for an impressive read.
Shortly after, Ashwin accounted for Hughes (19), Dhoni catching the ball on the second attempt.
Clarke (20 not out) and Wade (2 not out) ensured the visitors suffered no further damage, going into lunch at 83 for four (28 overs), in a session dominated by the home team.
Afternoon session (104 runs, 32 overs, no wickets):
If the opening session was about Indian dominance, the second was about an Australian resistance.
The home team failed to take a single wicket in the period even as the visitors recovered from an early slump and fought their way back into the match. Leading their charge was their leader, the usual suspect.
The Australian captain came out to bat with his team precariously placed at 57 for three. It soon became 63 for four.
Thereafter, though Clarke, ably aided by Matthew Wade, rebuild the innings. The 31-year-old reached his sixth his half century against India en route.
Besides, the fifth wicket stand between the two yielded Australian 100-plus runs, much to the frustration of the home team.
The Indians were also guilty of not taking the few chances that came their way. Clarke, for one, when on 42, edged an Ashwin delivery to short leg. However, Cheteshwar Pujara failed to hold on to it.
Australia had reached 187 for four at tea (after 60 overs).
Post-tea session:
Australia (50 runs, 25 overs, five wickets):
The visitors went past the 200-run mark soon after resumption, courtesy a boundary by Wade off Harbhajan.
However, an otherwise lacklustre Harbhajan eventually provided India a much needed breakthrough, having Wade (62) caught by Kumar. The batsman had survived a stumping attempt a ball earlier and the fact that he was getting increasingly restless led to his departure.
The Australian stumper faced 144 balls in an innings that included eight boundaries, and he helped his captain add 145 runs in a stand that has laid the foundation of their innings. Having said that, Wade did give it all up very easily, having done all the hard work.
Moises Henriques (5), who was impressive on his debut in Chennai, failed to live up to the expectations. Having survived a loud bat-pad appeal off Harbhajan, with third umpire S Ravi being summoned to give the decision, the batsman survived just four more balls before Jadeja went through his defence.
Glenn Maxwell (13) didn’t survive for long either, Jadeja having him caught behind. Peter Siddle followed suit, Harbhajan getting him out leg before.
And then came biggest wicket of them all. Clarke, in trying to play Jadeja across the line, saw his stumps shattered. It was a frustrated shot no doubt, and it came at the worst possible time.
The Australian captain, with his performance, had proved his decision to bat first on this wicket was a right one. Only his teammates didn’t seem very convinced.
Photograph: BCCI
