India vs Australia. 1st Test. Mohali. 1st October '10 - 5th October '10.

An India vs Australia test match is always great to watch irrespective of it being played @home or away. The conditions @home are quite different from the Australian conditions. The green turf with extra extra bounce replaces a flat turning track @home.






Australia won the toss and Ricky decided to bat.Watson proved his decision to be right by scoring 126. Ponting(71) was run-out by a brilliant one-hand-pick-up-and-throw by Raina. Tim Paine scored a steady 92 along with the right-arm tattooed left-arm fast Mitchell Johnson (37). Australia scored 428 in their 1st innings with a run rate f 2.82. I guess, their slowest ever. Zaheer did the major damage with 5 wickets.






India started their 1st innings rather well with the Delhi openers giving India a decent start. Dravid played a class innings with 77. It was Tendulkar's dismissal on 98 (lbw North) that got the nation disappointed. I was waiting since mornin' to witness Tendulkar's century. Damn, shit happens! Raina proved the selectors decision to pick him instead f Yuvraj by scoring 86 before getting out to a loose shot. Laxman came out @ no-10 to bat as he was nursing a back spasm with he had developed in the 3rd test against SriLanka. Johnson partied on this Indian innings with 5 wickets to his name. India collapsed on 405 giving a 23run lead to Australia.






Australia started their 2nd innings with a good partnership between Watson & Katich but after that the wickets began to tumble and Australia folded on 192. Zaheer & Ishant with 3wickets each, Bhajji & Ojha claiming 2 each.







India needed 216 runs to win.







India begin their chase. Gambhir adjudged lbw to a Hilfenhaus delivery. Wrong decision by the umpire but the Aussies rejoice. Dravid fell for 13 fending off a wide delivery f Bollinger. Sehwag(17) got out to a rising delivery f Hilfenhaus & so did Raina(0). India close 4th day's play with 54/4 with Zaheer as the night-watchman & God @the other end.






5th day:
Tendulkar & Khan start out +ly with Tendulkar playing his strokes & Khan rotating the strike. Zaheer fell to a straighter one by Hauritz on 10. Then walks out VVS Laxman. Little did we noeLaxman would again play a innings f his life lyk the 281. Really, whenever I talk about Laxman I never fail to mention his 281. Tendlukar got out on 38 playing a one-day shot. India's hopes did look bleak for a certain period. VVS continued with his stroke-play. One couldn't imagine that he was nursing a sore back 24hrs ago. Dhoni looked solid before getting run-out due to a mis-understanding with Raina who was running for Laxman. Harbhajan replaced him only to get caught by Paine f Bollinger 2 balls later.






Now, 90 to get with Laxman & long-haired lanky, Ishant at the other end. I had little faith in Lanky after watchin him bat in SriLanka. Laxman showed immense faith in Ishant's batting abilities by getting him on strike for the 2nd ball over f the over instead f the last. There's something about showing faith in your players, something that makes 'that' player click. Ponting showed faith in Hauritz by tossing the ball to him in the morning & he clicked. Ishant & Laxamn played carefully with scoring & keeping the scoreboard ticking.






India 204/8. Drinks. 204/9, Ishant adjuged lbw. Wrong decision again.






12 to win. 1 wicket in hand. Australia were 1 ball away from winning. India were 12runs short. Laxman lost faith in his Ojha & kept most f the strike taking 2's whenever possible. A call for a single by Laxman refused by Ojha left Laxman furious. I must admit, I never saw Laxman lyk "this".






Next over. Right-arm tattooed & left-arm fast Johnson to Ojha. Ojha struck in the pads. All go up. Billy denies. It was plump. Wrong decision by Billy. Long Live Billy, I blessed.






India need 2 runs to win. Right-arm tattooed & left-arm fast Johnson to left-ear pierced Ojha. Johnson straying on Ojha's pads a lil too much.. ball kisses Ojha's pads & gets past the keeper towards the boundary. Watson fields & throws it back to Paine. But, it's all too late, son. India have won!!






Ponting has to wait more to win a test match against India in India as captain. I lyk the sound f this.