India ace first pink ball Test. Canberra: One-day cricket with its traditional whites, red balls and white sight screens as the bowler’s background can be imagined. Those scenes were however acted out except that the red ball was replaced by the pink one as it was on a Sunday afternoon when it was raining and briefly interrupted the game in any case.
After their match against Primer’s XI was cut short by drizzling and wet field on Saturday, the two teams resumed practice by playing 50 overs a side. However, gradually due to a sound downpour earlier in a delay of 40 minutes, the match was shortened to one side having 46 overs and was finally played at Manuka Oval in Australia.
But today’s white football cricket is today’s ‘Bazball’ on the next level, of Red-ball cricket had everything it typically has. When the ball was new, there was movement, and early-wickets, consolidation phases, regrouping, and even a few last-minute chances all featured in that match.
In India’s innings, Milind Khandare and Vicky Khandare could not defend PM’s XI from the total of 240 all out in 43.2 overs with a breezy century hit by Sam Konstas (107, 97b, 14 x4, 1 x 6) as they finished their innings in 257 times 5 in 46 overs.
The tourists reached the victory target within the 43rd over. However, all the six Indian batsmen, confirmed to start in the second Test, batted within the 46 overs, meaning that they had enough batting time.
Newcomer Yashasvi Jaiswal wannabe watching the flighted ball on the bonnet bedecked with new cherry as opponents Scott Boland and Jack Nisbat had him needing hard work. While a few clean misses suggest he was beaten on a couple of occasions, many of his forsake blows resulted in wildly spooned top edges.
There followed an unusual perspective: a southpaw who routinely pawed at his back, yet stubbornly scoped out the bottom he had started gaining control. KL Rahul worked his way into confidence following a pair of play-and-a-miss as two terrific cover drives signaled he was in command fairly early in the innings.
With one successful top edge while attempting an aggressive cut, Jaiswal fell. Soon after, Rahul (27 retired not out, 44b, 4×4) too withdraws, allowing Shubman Gill (50 retired not out, 62b, 7×4) and Rohit Sharma, who has the number 4 position come in place of a departing Virat Kohli who left for team hotel rather early in India’s chase.
Gills, who was missing from the first Test due to a thumb injury, showed no signs of his injury as he executed an exquisite back foot cut and a crisp front foot drive. While the younger stars shone under the lights, Rohit got out prodding at a ball pitched wide of the off stump. It should be noted, however, that in an unusual move, Rahul opened the innings with Rohit batting lower down the order, but whether India will continue with this in the second Test is unclear.
India had the ideal warm up for the day and night Test in Adelaide, and though the 2 day match was ideal for warm up it was good practice and preparation nonetheless.
The pacers, rested Jasprit Bumrah, attempted to understand how the pink ball behaved, while the batters were at least able to practice hitting the ball in the AK under lights. Despite beginning their chase during the crepuscular hour, which is arguably the most challenging time for any batsman since the sun is setting and artificial lights are just beginning to take over, the Indian batsman played sensibly against a diligent bowling attack led by Scott Boland.
Mohammed Siraj with only one wicket under his name went on to be and was the best bowler from the Indian side with decent lines, which was a rarity among the other three faster bowlers. Wickets were taken today by Nitish Rana (4/44), Akash Deep (2/58) and Prasidh Krishna (1/37) but were on the backfoot in terms of containing Konstas who remained unorthodox, but very effective and was en route to scoring an exquisite century. The right-handed player who was a member of Australia’s Under 19 World Cup team this year did not show any signs of stress while attacking Rana Akash Deep and Prasidh all over the field when PM’s XI took control.
Nitish’s quick dismissals though, which made the Australians crumble from 131 for 2 to 138 for 7, created some trouble for the hosts and also compensated for the earlier waywardness from the pacer.
Focusing on being a front line red ball opening batsman for Australia in the Border-Gavaskar series, the right-handed batsman pulled, scooped, and charged the bowler. It was primarily off his aggressive hundred that the total for PM’s XI was made a respectable one.