Wayward Indian bowlers continued to gift runs in plenty to Australia which notched up a formidable 348 for two at the end of the first day's play in the fourth and final cricket Test here on Tuesday.
Electing to bat on a hot and sunny day, the hosts rode on a 200-run opening stand between David Warner (101), who recorded his third ton in the series, and Chris Rogers (95) to once again expose the toothless Indian attack. After a strong opening show, Shane Watson (61 batting) and captain Steven Smith (82 batting) ensured that Australia stay on the saddle by stitching a 144-run unbeaten third wicket partnership on what turned out to be a frustrating day for the Indians at the SCG.
It was another pathetic bowling display by the Indians who lacked penetration while their consistency also left much to be desired right through the series. The Indian bowlers have conceded over 500 totals three times in the series. They have so far given away a whopping 2674 runs, including Tuesday's first day total, and have managed to take 49 Australian wickets in the series so far. The strike rate has been a disappointing 54.57 runs per wicket till now.
Playing their first game at the SCG after the passing away of teammate Phillip Hughes six weeks back, an emotionally charged Australia reacted by scoring runs at a fast clip to demoralise the opposition attack. Rogers though got an early reprieve after lokesh Rahul dropped the left-handed batsman at second slip off Mohammed Shami (1-58). The opener was on 19 and made full use of the ‘life’. Warner, who was one of the players to witness the freak accident on November 25 at this venue, was in control from the very start and slammed his 12th Test century.
Rogers, who always played match-up with his aggressive partner at the other end, also batted with assurance only to be denied his century. He scored his fifth fifty of the series. India though struck back after the first session by sending back the openers in quick succession but Smith and Watson had other ideas. Smith notched up his 10th Test half-century while Watson recorded his 24th fifty in the longest format.
Ravichandran Ashwin (1-88) got Warner back in the pavilion after inducing a leading edge to gully where Murali Vijay made no mistake. Shami finally got a wicket after Rogers followed his partner in the over after, inside edging a length ball on to his stumps. India though got another chance of getting a wicket but Ashwin let Watson's edge fly past him at first slip off Umesh Yadav (0-97) on the penultimate ball of the day.
India though made wholesale changes with Kohli opting for Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Wriddhiman in place of Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma and MS Dhoni. Kumar's inclusion though did not solve the bowling woes as Warner and Rogers put on 39 runs in the first 5 overs, the scoring rate zooming past seven-an-over.
When Warner reached 63 not out, he took off his gloves and helmet, and kissed the ground where his teammate Hughes had collapsed after being hit by a bouncer. Rogers meanwhile had brought up his 5th consecutive fifty of the series — and 10th overall. India looked hapless in their first session of play in the post Dhoni era.
Clarke leads emotional tributes to Hughes at SCG
Emotions ran high on the opening day as injured skipper Michael Clarke led a series of tributes for late Phillip Hughes, who was fatally struck by a bouncer six weeks back at the SCG. Clarke has been been with the Hughes' family since the fateful incident took place on November 25. “This was his ground, the SCG,” Clarke said in a Nine Network tribute, here on Tuesday. In another tribute, the crowd stood to applaud when it was announced that Hughes's parents Greg and Virginia and siblings Jason and Megan were in attendance. Players of both teams, stood shoulder to shoulder, also joined in the round of applause as an image of Hughes was displayed on the big screen. When the Australian openers walked out onto the ground for the first ball, David Warner stopped to put his hand on the bronze plaque tribute (in pic) to Hughes that was installed just outside the players' rooms on Monday.
‘Poor fielding helped Aus’
Australian opener David Warner on Tuesday said that a good pitch coupled with India's poor bowling and fielding helped him score his third hundred of the series and place Australia at a commanding 348 for two at stumps on day one.
The batsmen benefitted from some poor fielding, as Rogers was dropped on 19 by Kl Rahul at second slip, while Shane Watson, too, enjoyed a life as R Ashwin let go off a chance at first slip off the penultimate ball of the day. “When you are not fielding at your best, then everything else also doesn't go in your favour. If your tempo is upbeat from the start, you take those chances. We too have done it before, dropped a couple of chances in the slips,” Warner said after the first day's play.
“It does really set your tone from ball one, if you're up and about that sets you. We try and thrive on that when we see that. I think their heads were down when we were 100 for no loss and that's expected some times in the field. They didn't get their line and length right. “Also there was no swing and sideways movement so you have to try and dry up the runs somehow. It must have been frustrating for Virat Kohli because it is tough to captain when the bowlers bowl both sides of the wicket,” he explained. Warner, however, admitted that Australia were lucky to have won the toss. “We were lucky that the coin fell our way and it was a fantastic toss to win. It's going to be challenging for us to take 10 wickets as well. We have to dry runs up when we bowl.”