Player ratings from Australia’s loss to India in Adelaide
Australia came within whisker of a remarkable fourth-innings run chase against India in Adelaide, but ultimately fell 31 runs short of victory. Here’s who starred and who flopped.
Australia came within a whisker of a remarkable fourth-innings run chase against India in Adelaide, but ultimately fell 31 runs short of victory.
Australia’s underwire batting line-up will again come under the microscope after another collective failure with the willow.
Here’s who starred and who flopped in the first Test match of the summer.
AARON FINCH – 2
Don’t expect debate about where his best batting position is to ease up any time soon. Looked OK after a second innings reprieve, and his dismissal was innocuous, but he should have reviewed. Gets an extra point for four catches, three fielding in an unfamiliar position at short-leg.
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MARCUS HARRIS – 6
The opener gets a solid pass mark in his debut game for getting twin scores of 26, and a point because of the extra battle of the first game nerves. In both innings he got out, after fighting through the tough stuff, playing shots he shouldn’t have. Looks the goods though.
USMAN KHAWAJA – 4
Not enough from Australia’s best batsmen who knew he had to shoulder responsibility among a line-up lacking Test match experience. His second innings dismissal, when fight was required, couldn’t have been much worse.
SHAUN MARSH – 7
The famine or feast nature of Marsh’s Test career continued. Just two in the opening innings was bettered considerably with his second effort of 60, under considerably more pressure too. He could have been a national hero, but instead leaves Adelaide having earned a few more Test chances.
TRAVIS HEAD – 7
A massive, and important 72 in the first innings, a lot of it batting with the tail, guided Australia to within sight of India. It was his second 72 in six efforts for his country and while he couldn’t hold out on day five he did enough to prove his worth in the top six.
PETER HANDSCOMB - 5
Came in as last man picked and got a solid 34 first up but both times got out playing at wide balls and needed to hang around until stumps at least on day four.
TIM PAINE – 7
Made a stoic 41 in the second innings with a finger that was clearly hurting. He didn’t get his team home, but was left to do way too much anyway. He was excellent behind the stumps, and his captaincy in the first innings in particular, and the way he used his bowlers, was very good.
PAT CUMMINS – 7
Bowled way better than a two-wicket return suggests, troubling plenty of Indian batsmen with his line at their body. Beat the outside edge a lot too, but maybe have bowled a bit short in the second innings. Held out for 121 balls with the bat chasing the win in a show of his fighting spirit.
MITCHELL STARC – 5
He took five wickets, and twice dismissed Indian opener Murali Vijay, which he’s supposed to do. His second innings runs were handy. But his Sunday effort with the new ball, when he sprayed it everywhere, posed a few questions about just how well the leader of the pace attack is going.
NATHAN LYON – 9
Has become his team’s most important player because he can undertake a massive workload and be threatening nearly all the time, in all conditions. His six second innings wickets, plus he had three decisions overturned, gave Australia a fighting chance and the Indians will be wary for the rest of the series. Add his runs, in both innings, and he did all he possibly could.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD – 7
Easily the best of the quick bowlers and his Saturday battle with Virat Kohli was the gold standard. Was key to his team taking 20 Indian wickets, and keeping the tourists to just over 550 runs, which in Australia is a pretty good return.
INDIA FIRST TEST PLAYER RATINGS
KL RAHUL - 3
Cleaned up by Josh Hazlewood for 2 in India’s first innings 250 but got off the chain for a quick-fire 44 that swung the momentum back for the visitors in their second dig.
MURALI VIJAY - 5
Mitchell Starc said he would be happy if he had the new ball and opener Vijay was on strike. Claimed five times in Tests by Starc and both innings in Adelaide without passing 20.
CHETESHWAR PUJARA - 9
A ton (123) and 71 in a game where only four batsman made half centuries. It wasn’t rocket science, the Indian No.3 displayed patience and immense powers of concentration, refusing to drive in his innings before set. Showed how to bat with the tail, adding 164 combined with Ashwin, Ishant and Shami in India’s first innings.
VIRAT KOHLI - 6
The Indian skipper made an unusually slow 34 in 104 balls as India scrapped for a second innings 307 total that proved beyond Australia. It wasn’t pretty but a 71-run, third wicket stand with Pujara was integral to India’s win.
AJINKYA RAHANE - 7
Indian No.5 Rahane delivered a crucial second innings 70 while figuring in an 87-run, fourth-wicket stand with Pujara, the highest of the match.
ROHIT SHARMA - 4
The middle-order strokeplayer chipped in with 37 runs including three sixes in a 45-run first innings stand with Pujara but was worked out by impressive Nathan Lyon in the second.
RISHABH PANT - 7
The swashbuckling Indian keeper only had one gear with the bat, blazing 25 and 28. Leaks more byes than most custodians but equalled the record for most dismissals in a match with 11. Dropped Nathan Lyon but an enthusiastic rookie to watch.
RAVI ASHWIN - 8
Took six wickets and put on India’s highest first innings stand (62) with Pujara to cap a fine allround performance that improved his record in Australia. Bowled a marathon 52.5 overs in Australia’s second innings and secured victory by dismissing Josh Hazlewood (13).
ISHANT SHARMA - 8
Set up Travis Head with a series of full deliveries outside off stump before cramping the left-hander with a ripping, short, effort ball in Australia’s second innings. Had no-ball issues but Ishant capitalised on a pitch encouraging his seam bowling.
MOHAMMED SHAMI - 8
Finished off Australia’s first innings on a hat-trick and kicked on in Australia’s second innings with the wickets of Victorians Marcus Harris and Peter Handscomb. Claimed Starc to end a 41-run stand with Cummins that had given Australia a shot at victory.
JASPRIT BUMRAH - 8.5
Bumrah deserved his first innings figures of 3/47 from an economical 24 overs. Unusual action makes the speedster a difficult customer at 145km/h. India’s most threatening paceman got the key second innings wicket of Shaun Marsh.
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