Indian cricket was in a frenzy on Thursday evening. Virat Kohli took a freak tumble on the field and hurt his right shoulder. While the team management announced that he is still available for this Test, the skipper didn’t come out on the morning of day two either, and in total missed approximately 400 minutes of the Australian innings.
Sure, India lacked Kohli’s abounding energy, and maybe his vigorous thought process too. He is always looking to make something happen, but there is only so much you can do when the pitch is placid. As such, Ajinkya Rahane took over the reins, and did a decent job of leading the side, never mind Australia’s 451-run first innings’ total.
The crux is in the detail here. The visitors batted nearly five sessions to reach this score, despite Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell scoring hundreds. Rahane led with confirmation; perhaps he had pre-set plans to follow, but his field settings didn’t make it so easily obvious. He didn’t resort to Kohli’s in-out placements even as Maxwell wanted to cut loose, and the stand-in captain did enough to plug Australia’s efforts to get away from grasp.
“I think it is a par score for this pitch,” said Umesh Yadav after the day’s play. “It is still easy to bat on, and singles are coming quite easily here. The outfield is very quick and boundaries fly when you hit the ball in gaps. Even we scored 120 runs in just over one session”.
His words reveal the onerous task Indian bowlers have performed over the first two days. In a way, this Test has followed the script from the Mumbai and Chennai Tests against England, but with no promises of a similar outcome. It also explains how Maxwell and Smith got off to a good start on Friday morning, similar to what David Warner and Matt Renshaw had done on Thursday. Only difference, this time Ravichandran Ashwin wasn’t able to stem the flow of runs.
Despite being the lead spinner, he has often faced criticism for performances on such pitches. Let it be said here, though, that Ashwin is someone who feeds off the bounce and pace of the wicket, and then factors in his ability to drift the ball into the batsmen. This Ranchi track has so far not afforded him that assistance, and he is allowed an off day, or two.
Carving a niche
This is where Ravindra Jadeja steps in, and highlights the role he has played in this long home season. While his partner has been lining up wickets like ninepins, the left-arm spinner has carved a niche for himself. Only, it isn’t restricted to a particular brand of pitches (refer South Africa series in 2015-’16) anymore. In that, he is akin to Yadav, who too has grown as a bowler in this past year. And the growth curve of this bowling duo is a marker of why the Indian attack looks so wholesome nowadays.
If Yadav had applied brakes to the Australian innings on day one, then Jadeja came to the fore on day two. After Ashwin was taken for runs, Rahane opted for change and Jadeja bowled a long spell thereafter. Almost immediately he had sewn up one end with consecutive maiden overs, in line with the obvious question emanating from this season: How do you score against Jadeja?
“He was hitting a consistent spot and every time the ball was reacting differently,” said Maxwell after the day’s play. “I was in and I was missing them by a fair margin, showing how he didn’t make it easy at all. It was just an awkward length and he was pretty accurate.”
Skilled archer
There is certain repetition about these words. A few batsmen from both New Zealand and England have uttered them time and again, for Jadeja has worked his magic consistently. It is that poke-worthy length he hits up, with the regularity of a skilled archer. The batsmen are committed, yet they don’t know whether to offer a stroke or just let it go. Either the ball is straight enough to beat the outside edge and knock back the off-stump, or it turns away sufficiently to induce a nick.
It is a trap, really, and the batsmen not only have to mind their strokes, but footwork as well, given DRS is in play at all times. It goes without saying that Jadeja is in partnership with Ashwin, holding one end together, choking the runs while the off-spinner attacks from the other end. Only thing, Jadeja himself is never on the defensive.
Perhaps the greatest example of this is a reference to the Visakhapatnam Test against England. On day four evening, faced with a mammoth 405-run target, the English batsmen had stonewalled the Indian spinners. But the next morning, Ashwin-Jadeja bowled 25 overs in one hour. There is only so much stonewalling that can be done, and yes, England lost that game pretty quickly. Later in that series, in Chennai, Jadeja single-handedly wrapped up the Test win on day five with figures of 7/48.
Impressive season
Overall, his tally for this season, stretching back to the West Indies tour, stands at 66 wickets in 13 Tests. If he ever was under Ashwin’s shadow, that consideration is long gone, and Australia, unable to get away on this vital day’s play, will attest to it. By his admission, Maxwell wanted to attack after reaching his hundred, but was dismissed by Jadeja. Smith endured, but the pace of scoring never really picked up as India stuck to their game plan riding on his accuracy.
With India finishing the day in a comfortable position then, Yadav’s words find some perspective here. There is no doubt that the wicket is playing true still, but it will turn soon enough, equivalent perhaps to how the Vizag pitch behaved. The hosts, thus, need to make this innings count – whether Kohli bats or not – and then unleash their spinners on Australia for a second go.
On a low, slow turner, Jadeja could once again prove lethal in the second innings.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!