Sport

India crushes world champion Australia

Mohali: A side that prides itself on causing the physical and mental disintegration of its adversary — both Allan Border and Steve Waugh believed in this — melted under the ruthless Indian intensity at Mohali.

Will the psychological scars of a 320-run pounding, India’s biggest Test win in terms of runs (not counting victories by an innings or wickets), remain on the Aussie mind when the third Test gets underway in New Delhi on October 29?

The host ended the second Test in the first session of the final day at the PCA Stadium. The Aussies were bundled out for 195 on Tuesday after Zaheer Khan struck early.

India leads the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series 1-0.

The side did most things right in the second Test. The two attacking openers fired the side to positive starts and the middle-order consolidated. The pacemen bowled seam-up and cross-seam to achieve conventional movement off the deck and then reverse swing. The spinners got their deliveries to dip and spin. An important toss was won and the catches held.

As skipper and ‘Man of the Match’ Mahendra Singh Dhoni said at the end, team-work worked for India.

In the final morning, it was Zaheer’s turn to contribute his bit. The left-arm paceman struck thrice in four deliveries; Zaheer was on the ball, the Aussies weren’t.

Zaheer celebrated after the last ball of the day’s first over; Brad Haddin (37) was castled by a delivery that nipped back from a length. The paceman exploited the batsman’s early, tentative feet movement with precision.

The left-armer began his second over by beating Cameron White with angle, pace and movement. The beleaguered batsman was sucked into a drive by the next ball — a fuller length delivery — for Dhoni to pick up a smart, low catch. Brett Lee had little clue about a short-of-a-good-length ball; he played for assumed inward movement and the ball disturbed the woodwork.

Mitchell Johnson prevented a hat-trick but then it was just a matter of time for India. Against high-quality and varied bowling, there was little respite for Australia.

Ishant went past Michael Clarke’s outside edge with deliveries that straightened. The ‘Pup’, however, put up a fight. With his feet and mind in harmony, Clarke (69, 152b, 9x4) essayed a couple of flowing drives through the off-side, whipped off his toes, defended solidly.

Johnson kept away a few, biffed a few others. The Aussies had a partnership going before Dhoni turned to leggie Amit Mishra. Johnson (26) was flummoxed by the revolution on the ball as it dipped into him and the leading edge was gobbled up by the bowler.

Clarke’s pull off a Mishra ball that was shorter than fuller was well held by Virender Sehwag at mid-wicket. The Indians converged in a heap.

For the Aussies, it was time to introspect. The approach of the top and middle-order batsmen — save Michael Clarke — in the second innings smacked of desperation.The side did not back itself on a pitch that continued to play well. Batting epics stem from resolve, even if a side needs to bat out nearly ten hours.

Australia was outplayed on a good, dry batting wicket. The pitch here was no sub-continental mine-field. It provided a fair opportunity to the batsmen of both sides.

And the bowlers who imparted greater work on the ball and bowled with more control reaped the rewards. Perhaps the biggest indictment for Australia was the manner Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan outbowled the Aussie pacemen in the Test. The Indians also comprehend the dynamics of the SG ball and its elongated seam better.

  India — 1st innings: 469.

Australia — 1st innings: 268.

India — 2nd innings: 314 for three decl.

Australia — 2nd innings: M. Hayden lbw b Harbhajan 29, S. Katich c Tendulkar b Harbhajan 20, R. Ponting b Ishant 2, M. Hussey lbw b Harbhajan 1, M. Clarke c Sehwag b Mishra 69, S. Watson lbw b Ishant 2, B. Haddin b Zaheer 37, C. White c Dhoni b Zaheer 1, B. Lee b Zaheer 0, M. Johnson c & b Mishra 26, P. Siddle (not out) 0; Extras (b-4, nb-4) 8. Total (in 64.4 overs) 195.

Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-50, 3-52, 4-52, 5-58, 6-142, 7-144, 8-144, 9-194.

India bowling: Zaheer 15-3-71-3, Ishant 13-4-42-2, Harbhajan 20-3-36-3, Mishra 11.4-2-35-2, Sehwag 5-2-7-0.

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