Pune: Steve O’Keefe took six wickets in the second innings of the first Test between India and Australia, and India crumbled to a total of 107 runs, making the visitors win by a massive 333 runs.
It may be recalled here that Steve Smith had earlier stated that this series would be a challenging one but they had the intention of stopping India’s current run of form.
Skipper Steven Smith once again turned out to be a nemesis with a superb century on dodgy track helping Australia set a target of 441 runs for India at lunch.
Australia were all-out for 285 in their second innings as their overall lead swelled to a gigantic 440 runs courtesy Smith’s 18th Test hundred.
The Australian skipper scored 109 off 202 balls with 11 boundaries, an innings that will certainly be considered as one of the best by an overseas batsman on a devilish Indian track which had sharp turn and bounce. It was his fifth consecutive century against India in as many Tests.
Coincidentally, Australia too enjoyed a similar streak of 18 unbeaten matches between September 1999 and Mar 2001. And now it is Australia again who ended the unbeaten streak
If India manage to achieve the uphill target, it will be highest by any team in the history of Test cricket. India’s highest ever run-chase was 387 against England in Chennai back in 2008 when Virender Sehwag played a blinder on the fourth evening to set up the victory.
Australia today added 142 runs in the extended opening session in 41 overs after commencing at the overnight score of 143 for 4 with Smith (59) and Mitchell Marsh (21) at the crease.
Smith curbed his natural attacking instincts to slowly and steadily using his feet to good effect.
However, by the time of the visiting team’s skipper departure at 246 the Australian lead had gone well past the 400 mark — a huge one by any reckoning that looks impregnable on this treacherous pitch.
Mitchell Starc, who made a whirlwind 61 in the first innings, later treated the bowlers harshly by striking 3 sixes and 2 fours in a quick-fire 30 off 31 balls before he was caught in the deep off Ravichandran Ashwin to give the off spinner his first wicket of the day and fourth overall.