Australia’s attacking approach against India doesn’t really mask their vulnerabilities

‘Attack is the best form of defence’, right?

Australia would have thought going in with that mindset at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for the second Border-Gavasksar Test after a humiliating surrender in the opener at Nagpur in under eight sessions, could serve them slightly better.

They might have had a look at their arch-rivals England and their ‘Bazballing’ way against New Zealand at Mount Maungauni. At the close of play on Day 1, one could argue Australian batters did better than what they did in Nagpur; but on a much better batting track than the Jamtha, Australians batters were once again underwhelming.

Usman Khawaja and David Warner were streaky at best but they ensured to score at a rate of over four. The Delhi track, which Pat Cummins said on the pre-match day his team is expecting it to play like Nagpur — with turn on offer on first day, was placid at best in comparison.

Even then, the Australian openers did not look assured in the middle, though they managed a partnership of 50. Warner looked circumspect and calls for him to be dropped or his international career coming to an end seem right now. Even for the deliveries he would naturally go forward with authority and use his strong bottom hand to pierce the gaps through the in-field was missing.

Khawaja, who lasted all of 12 deliveries in the Nagpur Test, got a couple of freebies — one on his pads and other on a platter on the off side, and by the time he had faced the same amount of deliveries as in Nagpur, he had scored more runs.

And Khawaja was enterprising enough. Very much like Warner he also stayed majorly on his backfoot but was sure enough when to press forward or go for the expansive drive. In the 11th over, Ashwin tossed one up and Khawaja pumped it over the bowler’s head after reaching the pitch of the delivery. But he was lucky throughout his innings with both Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja challenging both edges of his bat.

Warner coped a blow to his elbow from Mohammad Siraj and he eventually fell to Mohammed Shami. Coming round the wicket, Shami forced Warner to play at an incoming one which straightened a tad after pitching to which the opener had no option but to nick it to wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s Guile

Marnus Labhuschagne looked in ominous touch with a breezy start to his innings and the attacking mindset was very much visible. Ashwin though was up to the task and in what was a beautiful spell of spin bowling, Ashwin and Jadeja combined well to first stifle the scoring rate and fifteen minutes before lunch Ashwin, who was mixing it with overspin and parallel seam, got one to spin back in and Labuschagne was trapped in front. Two balls later, the offspinner pushed in a slider with even more side spin and as luck would have it, Steve Smith played for the off break and it turned the other way to take the edge and Bharat once again impressed with a low catch.

12 minutes to lunch and Australia, from 91/1, had succumbed to 91/3.

Day 1 of the Kotla track is generally the best day to bat on and score runs. It gets tougher to bat on as the contest progresses. Travis Head unfortunately did not get the memo. The No 4-ranked Test player was not picked for the Nagpur Test owing to his not so great record at the subcontinent. Delhi track, Australia must have assumed would be easier for Head to bat. But, Head was over his head thinking of spin, and was eventually undone by a cut to delivery that he should have defended. He too went with an attacking mindset and edged one to gully with KL Rahul taking a sharp overhead catch. At 108/4, Australia has lost the advantage and staring at another middle-order wobble.

Khawaja played one reverse sweep too many and perished to a stunning one–hander from Rahul while Alex Carey walked back edging one to slip off Ashwin to hand the seasoned bowler his 100th wicket of Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja brings up 250 wickets and 2500 Test runs milestone

Australia’s strategy of attacking India, worked in patches but it was more about hiding their vulnerabilities against spinners. The track, to be fair, played true with enough zip and bounce for the pacers, and just enough turn and grip for the spinners. Mind you, this is only the Day 1 track.

Handscomb Shows The Way

At 168/6, Australia were staring down the barrel before Peter Handscomb came in to bat. Interestingly, nine out of his 18 Test matches have been against India and this is his second tour to the subcontinent, playing the same opposition. He was part of the 2017 series and even though he did not score big, looked the part in terms of playing the Indian tweakers. So there was little surprise that he pipped Head in Nagpur.

A chip of the old block, and with the floppy hat on, Handscomb dropped his hands whenever required and did not look to over hit when he went for an attacking stroke. He was methodical and seldom looked rush even as Jadeja, Axar Patel and Ashwin continued to feed him around the off stump but he never reached for the expansive drive. He used the bottom hand to great effect to score behind the wicket — 30 of his 72 not out came behind the wicket on the offside. With Cummins for company, Australia brought some semblance back to the innings.

Also Read: Khawaja and Handscomb’s resistance and other talking points from Day 1

But India were at it and a quick swipe of the tail meant Australia were all out for 263. Any score less than 300 here in the first innings spells trouble. Australia would know that. They have three spinners – one of them on debut, other playing his second game, and just one frontline pacer in skipper Cummins.

‘Attack is the best form of defence’, right? – Attack with the ball is what Australia would have to do now.

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