CHENNAI: After the horror of Adelaide, India needed a day like this. Bowlers had time and again bailed them out in recent years. On Saturday, sans two first-choice pacers, at the most daunting cauldron of all — Melbourne Cricket Ground — India's bowling unit showed their worth as Australia failed to touch 200 in successive first innings at home for the first time since 1984. That was against the West Indies, perhaps the best attack of all time.
Unlike in some recent away wins — Johannesburg, Birmingham, Adelaide and Melbourne (all in 2018), Antigua and Jamaica (2019) — the Indians are not at full arsenal. Mohammed Shami has flown back with a fractured arm. Ishant Sharma, senior most pacer and Dr Watson of the pack, is building workload at home in Delhi. Master seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is injured.
This leaves India with Bumrah to share the responsibility with spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. For company, they have Umesh Yadav, who would have warmed the bench had Shami, Ishant and Kumar were fit, and debutant Mohammed Siraj, who toiled in the domestic circuit for five years and graduated through A team tours. This attack isn't the best India have had in recent times, but they know what to do. Unlike batsmen, they settle down sooner, like fast bowlers from Pakistan.
On Day 1, Bumrah and Ashwin led the bowling, constantly on ears with the rest, complementing stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane. Having said he would lead by instinct, he walked the talk by bringing in Ashwin as first change after Bumrah had given an early breakthrough.
“There were constant discussions going on between bowlers and the captain. The wicket changed after the first session. It got better to bat on in the second session and the moisture went away. We were just trying to communicate what kind of lines we wanted to bowl so that we could set the field accordingly. When there was less help, we tried to change our lines,” said Bumrah.
Like in the first Test, Australia were made to earn every run, as the off-spinner played the role of restrictor and aggressor at the same time. First up against Matthew Wade, who clearly doesn't trust his defence, Ashwin made him play a bad shot. To Steve Smith, he bowled with close-in fielders all around, especially around the leg. There was turn, but not the kind that would encourage Ashwin to attack him like he would in India. He is bowling in line with the stumps, challenging batsmen to work him around in a crowded field. In Adelaide, Smith lasted three balls off Ashwin. At MCG, just two, before being caught at backward short-leg.
Marnus Labuschange survived till lunch, but didn't look that convincing. And when one expected Rahane to begin with Bumrah and Ashwin in the second session, he threw the ball to Siraj and Yadav. Labuschagne and Travis Head forged a partnership and sensing trouble, Rahane brought back Bumrah, who obliged by removing Head in a four-over spell which helped Siraj reflect on his first spell and make corrections.
Siraj isn't express, but has the heart for long spells. India's bowling coach Bharathi Arun saw it first hand in 2016-17, when he coached Hyderabad. That season he ended up with 41 wickets, following which he was fast-tracked into the A team set-up and exposure tours. As he came in for a second spell, Siraj looked far more in control with a semi-old ball. With a natural angle that aides reverse-swing, the sight of Labuschagne could have been comforting for him. He had dismissed him twice in A games and on Test debut, nailed him for his first scalp. By the time Ashwin returned to remove Tim Paine, India were in control with the ball.
Over to the batsmen to make it count.