India rally with late burst against Australia

They say morning shows the day. And if this old adage means something, then the Indians must have felt quite lucky after the first day’s play at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

After failing to pick up even a single wicket in the first session, the hosts bounced back to send half the Australian side back to the pavilion in the next two periods of play. At stumps, the visitors were 285 for five after 85.5 overs. Owing to bad light, the umpires called off play a good 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

It could have been ‘Advantage Australia’ but for Suresh Raina. The part-timer’s golden arm did the trick late in the day when Ricky Ponting failed to read a conventional off-spinner and perished after scoring a commanding 77 (147b, 12x4). The Aussie skipper looked good for a repeat of 2008 when he had scored his first and only Test century at this venue.

Interestingly, Raina was involved in both of Ponting’s dismissals in Mohali too. While a direct throw from the sprightly southpaw caused Punter’s demise in the first innings, the Aussie skipper was caught by the same man at square-leg off Ishant Sharma in the second. On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer needed just two deliveries to get rid of a well-set Ponting.

Ponting, who walked out to bat after Simon Katich (43, 95b, 7x4) fell in the very first over after lunch, was ‘greeted’ with boos. But the batting great played some superb shots along the ground and assumed control.

He brought up his fifty by scoring a boundary off Harbhajan Singh. After all bowlers, including the tricky Virender Sehwag, failed to contain him, Dhoni brought in Raina. Ponting’s dismissal, the last of the day, tilted the scales in India’s favour.

Earlier, everything went Australia’s way. First, news trickled in that VVS Laxman wouldn’t play. Then Ponting won the toss. And if that wasn’t enough, Shane Watson and Katich gave Australia an awesome start.

Despite the dampness in the pitch, the Indian pace duo of Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth failed to get anything out of it. The Aussie pair also smashed a 12-year-old record. Mark Taylor and Michael Slater had added 91 for the first wicket here in 1998. Katich and Watson took their side to 95 for no loss at lunch.

The 40-minute break seemed to have done wonders for the home team. Harbhajan got India the breakthrough as Katich edged one straight to Rahul Dravid at first slip. Watson looked strong at the other end and went on to complete a well-made half-century. Watson has scored three hundreds and two fifties on this tour. But Pragyan Ojha finally got the better of him after Dhoni took a sharp catch. Michael Clarke’s stay at the centre was cut short by Harbhajan after he was caught at backward short-leg by Raina.

Ponting, who was then joined by Michael Hussey, then tried to steady the ship. But Hussey’s luck ran out after he edged a wide delivery from Zaheer Khan into the hands of Sehwag at gully. He made a breezy 34.

Marcus North, who scored a duck and 10 in Mohali, was the new man. Ponting and North took Australia past the 250-run mark. That’s when Raina stepped in and changed the script. Despite the big blow, North continued to bat with confidence and remained unbeaten on 43. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine (8 batting) was keeping North company when the umpires decided to call it a day.

The pitch is expected to be at its best on Sunday and Dhoni would want his bowlers to pick up the remaining five wickets in quick time. Earlier on Saturday, Virender Sehwag handed debutant Cheteshwar Pujara the ‘Test’ cap.