Bangalore: It was billed as a super Saturday but as the day progressed, Nathan Lyon, with the scuffed red cherry, silenced the fans at M Chinnaswamy as India collapsed dramatically yet again to give Australia a golden advantage. Lyon captured career-best figures of 8-50 in 22.2 overs as Australia bundled out India for a paltry 189 after Virat Kohli elected to bat first. Before the start of the Test match, Steve Smith said that Australia were just two sessions away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Virat Kohli while addressing the media laughed away but the way the Indian team has batted, it just seems, Australia might board the plane back home with the silverware in their arms. Nathan Lyon deserves the credit for orchestrating the collapse that saw the 29-year-old record best figures by any touring bowler, eclipsing 8-64 taken by South African Lance Klusener. But, the talking point throughout the day was Virat Kohli’s dismissal. Speaking on ABC Grandstand radio, former Australia captain Steve Waugh was highly impressed and praised Lyon and his bowling strategy. “I’ve been very impressed with Nathan Lyon today,” Waugh said. “He’s got really nice rhythm, he’s getting the ball in there at really nice pace, so if the batsman make an error in judgement in length they can’t really adjust too quickly. “He’s putting them under constant pressure. Lyon is now Australia’s leading wicket-taker against India in Test cricket with 58 wickets having overtaken Brett Lee’s record of 53 sticks.But how did this all happen. Soon after the toss, it was confirmed that Abhinav Mukund will be partnering KL Rahul in place of an injured Murali Vijay.But, the India opener failed to make his opportunity count as he departed for a duck! Mukund donned the India jersey after almost five-and-a-half- years, having last played in July 2011. He just couldn’t justify his selection. If Mukund’s duck was a setback, Virat Kohli’s dismissal was a difficult pill to swallow. First time in this home season Kohli got out for less than 20 for third consecutive innings. More than his dismissal, what baffled everyone was the Indian skipper’s decision to review a plumb LBW call. Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar explains why did Kohli leave that ball. “He’s the head of the snake, to put it in Dale Steyn’s terms, and the body will fall away,” Lyon said of the Indian captain after the match.”The second time in this series that Virat Kohli has been dismissed leaving the ball. A judgment error from the best batsman in the world,” Matthew Hayden said on Star Sports.”There’s only one reason for that and it’s pressure. Pressure created by Nathan Lyon. “It’s something so rare from Virat.”Current national selector Mark Waugh, speaking on Fox Sports, labelled Kohli’s dismissal as ‘brain fade.’ “That’s a brain fade. I know the ball before bounced and hit him on the thigh-pad and he’s a bit worried about those two men on the leg side, but that’s bread-and-butter for an Indian batsman, a class player. You just tuck that off the hip.”It was very un-Kohli like. He made a point of saying ‘we need to play with much more intent in this game’ but he’s been the prime example of not actually doing that.”He’s just thinking negatively because there’s men around the bat. He’s thinking if it bounces he might get an inside edge. As a batsman, you can’t think like that. “He can hit that ball in his sleep for runs. He’s obviously thinking is a little bit negatively and that’s rubbed off on a few of his teammates. “Most of them have looked very tentative at the crease today. Those (dismissed) Indian batsmen, they would be disappointed with how they got out.”In between those dismissals you don’t see the balls where one is sort of skidding and another is sort of standing up off the pitch. So there’s a bit of mental disintegration in between those balls.”Next in line was vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s turn to take the bullet as Rahane’s poor home season continued. As Mohandas Menon wrote, “Ajinkya Rahane this season has now been dismissed by a spinner for the 11th time in 15 innings! Steve O’Keefe doing it twice!” That sums up pretty much how Rahane has been struggling and despite Anil Kumble openly backing Rahane, the middle-order batsman failed to save India from the blushes. Triple century in his previous match, Karun Nair playing in front of his home crowd fell very much like Rahane.Andrew Wu, cricket expert writing for the Sydney Morning Herald summed up Nair dismissal. “Karun Nair tried very hard to top Virat Kohli for dumbest dismissal this innings.”While Lyon was busy sweeping through the Indian tail, KL Rahul stood patiently and was on the cusp of notching a century in front of his home crowd. But, Lyon removed Rahul to put Australia within arm’s-length of Trophy.
Powered by WPeMatico
