India Down Under: Perth conquered, Adelaide awaits
CHENNAI: At some level, everyone knew what was coming. Not just the fans on either camp but also the players. Even Australians, who have the reputation or a rather built up image around never showing weakness and always up for a fight, had come to terms with the reality of what was happening at The Perth Stadium on Sunday. At least Josh Hazlewood had.
Having bowled his heart out in the second innings — where he went for less than two runs per over (1.33) while India piled on 487/6 — the senior pacer had mentally moved on to the pink ball Test in Adelaide. When asked what Australia have to do to turn things around on Monday with seven wickets in hand and 522 runs to chase in two days, Hazlewood said only batters can answer the question.
"You probably have to ask the batters that question. I am sort of relaxing, trying to get some physio treatment. I'm probably looking mostly towards the next Test, what plans we can do against these batters," he had said.
From outside, it might seem like a very un-Australian answer, leading to a rift or disappointment between batters and bowlers. But Hazlewood was just being pragmatic.
For he knew what India had done over three days and what was ahead for Australia on Monday. He had come to terms with the fact that his job in Perth was done and better to look at how to turn things around in Adelaide. India's job, however, was not done as of Sunday.
They needed seven wickets, which every one knew was coming. It was only going to be a matter of time. And Jasprit Bumrah set the tone on the very first ball with a sharp inducker that hit Steve Smith on the pads. It was not given out, but sent out a clear message; Australia have got to face the music. In the very next over, when Mohammed Siraj went short, a half-hearted Usman Khawaja went for a pull but ended up top-edging it and Rishabh Pant did the rest.
However, unlike the first innings, India were not going to have it easy. Harshit Rana and Siraj continued the first spell of the day with Travis Head and Steve Smith rebuilding. Smith, while not getting runs at pace, was spending some time in the middle. Head, on the other hand, was playing his usual game. There were some oohs and aahs with bat-pads and ball missing stumps, but India were not able to get a breakthrough for close to 20 overs.
It finally came when Siraj set up Smith with a perfect outswinger. Mitchell Marsh and Head built on it, adding 82 runs in 14.1 overs. But India persisted. Bumrah persisted. He took it upon himself to remove Head (89) and soon Nitish Kumar Reddy got rid of Marsh (47). Fifteen overs and three wickets later, when Rana cleaned up Alex Carey, India had conquered Perth. A 295-run victory at a venue where Australia have never lost. Their highest margin of win Down Under.
When India were bundled out for 150 on day one afternoon, no one would have expected this to happen. But Bumrah believed. He inspired with eight wickets in the match and the rest followed. "This is a special win, first win as a captain, very happy with that. My son is also here, so I'll cherish it with my son and I'll remember this for a while. So, it's very special," Bumrah said. "He's very young now, but when he grows up, I have a lot of stories to tell him."
Indeed, not just Bumrah. Everyone who witnessed India create history in about three and a half days after a home clean sweep will remember this one for a very long time.
295 — Biggest margin for an Indian win on Australian soil