Ian Chappell: Lessons learnt from Sri Lanka disaster as Australia tear up India’s home comforts

AUSTRALIA’S confidence might have bemused India. Having shown it was justified under the most trying of conditions, the tourists now have the upper hand.

Steve Smith has shown excellence in both his batting and his captaincy.

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THE first thought that came to mind as India completely unravelled in the first Test, was the Shakespearean line: “Hoist with his own petard.”

This not only applied to a confident Australia’s superior mental strength on a pitch tailor-made for homeside dominance, but also to the way they outplayed India in a couple of key areas. The Australian batsmen coped with the lavish spin better than their more experienced Indian counterparts and their close-in catching, led by an alert and sure-handed Peter Handscomb, was far superior.

One thing that stood out about Australia’s stunning performance was how much things had changed after their disastrous tour of Sri Lanka.

Mitchell Starc is an absolute weapon for Australia in any conditions.

The two men who initially led the Australian charge were the multi-talented Mitchell Starc and the calm and clever Matthew Renshaw. They detonated the bomb that exploded India’s supreme season at home and Steve O’Keefe with his subtle variations, picked off the remaining survivors.

Starc’s late-order blows with the bat and then a twin strike with the ball in the first innings were just what was needed to further boost the confidence of his teammates. His quick-fire 61 took Australia’s score from a shaky 200 to a challenging 260, a feat to be admired for its skill and daring.

To then skewer Cheteshwar Pujara with a lifter and outfox Virat Kohli in the same over on a pitch made for spinners, were the deeds that confirmed the Australian’s self-belief. Starc has added steely determination to his undoubted skill and he’s now an opponent to be feared.

Matthew Renshaw has mastered India’s bowlers, if not the off-field challenges.

Renshaw’s calmness at the crease had a positive effect on David Warner and suddenly the edginess and downright panic that was so evident when Australia batted in Sri Lanka was a thing of the past.

The heavy lifting then done by Starc and Renshaw was complemented by the persistent O’Keefe. He showed great resolve to rebound from KL Rahul’s attempt to target his left-arm spin and enjoyed the last laugh as Indian wickets tumbled.

Steve O'Keefe produced a destructive spell on an incredible day two in Pune.

Adding to Australia’s superiority was the behind-the-scenes work of captain Steve Smith who carried on the momentum with a superb second-innings century before O’Keefe deliverd with the ball again to seal the Test triumph.

Smith is not a man to be underestimated and his blunt appraisal, following the Bellerive disaster, has had as much to do with reviving the Australian team as anything he’s done with the bat.

Australia arrived in India with a quiet confidence that might have bemused the home team. Having shown their confidence was justified and under the most trying of conditions, the Australians now have the upper hand heading into the second match of the four-Test series.

Originally published as Ian Chappell: Lessons learnt from Sri Lanka disaster as Australia tear up India’s home comforts