3rd Test day 1 Review - India v Australia @ Ranchi
Australia On Top After Dominant First Day
Having won a crucial toss, Australia has put together a dominant first day in Ranchi making the hosts toil in the field. In the strong position of 4/299 at stumps, they have put themselves in the driver’s seat of this pivotal Test Match. Once again, it was Australian captain, Steve Smith (117*) leading the way with a controlled century, as he shared an unbroken 159-run partnership for the 5th wicket with the returning Glenn Maxwell (82*). After all the build-up in the Australian media about pitch doctoring and the minefield that was awaiting, this pitch proved by far the most benign of the series. With little turn on offer, the only tricks the Ranchi surface had in store on Day 1 was some variable low bounce, whilst the seamers managed to extract some reverse swing given the dry nature of the surface.
David Warner (19) was guilty of throwing his wicket away with a careless shot off a harmless full toss, whilst his opening partner Matt Renshaw (44) continues to impress despite not quite getting the big innings his efforts have deserved. No doubt there will be a bit of panic in the Indian camp with Captain Virat Kohli sent for scans on a shoulder injury which forced him from the field for the majority of the day. Whilst the Indian bowlers toiled away, none of them look particularly threatening on a surface which looks like holding together far longer than those in Pune and Bangalore. Australia will be looking to ram home their advantage today with a score of 450 plus, which would give them every opportunity of winning this Test Match and retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Maxwell Secures His Spot for the Near Future
Glenn Maxwell returned with a vengeance to the Test team for the first time since 2014 with a crucial 82 not out on the first day of the Third Test in Ranchi. Maxwell, in his 4th Test match, will be eyeing up a maiden Test century on Friday, which would be the perfect two fingered salute to his many critics. Whilst Maxwell contains an eclectic mix of flair, bravado, unconventional shots and more than occasional brain explosions, there is plenty of substance behind the style when you strip things back and look at his batting. When you look at his incredible eye, the amount of time he has to play his shots, and his almost textbook technique, you realise the rare talent he possesses. I have always seen a rough diamond that needs to be harnessed and given a proper run in the side - David Warner was never considered a Test prospect in his early days.
Even I have to admit I was a little surprised with just how patiently and selectively Maxwell played as he shared in a crucial unbroken 159-run stand with Steve Smith. What I was not surprised with was that at times, he made it look incredibly easy. He seemed to have all the time in the world and played almost like he was in a trance, waiting for the loose ball and never losing focus. Whilst one swallow does not make a summer, there is no denying Maxwell deserves a proper run in this team to determine whether he can maintain the sort of performance and discipline, shown yesterday, to flourish in Test cricket.
Smith Secures His Place as Number 1 Batsman in the World
From the minute Steve Smith arrived in India he has looked like a man on a mission. In fact, from the moment Australia were belted in Hobart to capitulate to a fifth straight Test match defeat, Smith has worn the look of a man driven by almost rage, and sheer bloody mindedness. Coming into this series I had Virat Kohli ever so slightly ahead of Smith as the best batsman in the world. However, the Australian Captain is winning that battle in a knockout at this stage. Kohli's series has gone from bad to worse with a shoulder injury keeping him off the field yesterday, after managing just 40 runs in 4 innings in the opening two Tests. Yesterday, Smith brought up his second century of what has been a low scoring series and looked a man determined to grind India into the dirt, having won a crucial toss.
If Smith continues in this vein he may go down as Australia's best batsman since Bradman. With 19 Test hundreds from 52 Tests, Smith’s average is hovering just below the magical figure of 60, not even half way through his Test career. He has been the equal third fastest batsman in history to reach 5000 runs, equal with the likes of Sir Vivian Richards, Garfield Sobers and Sunil Gavaskar. Whilst runs are any batsman’s currency, a series victory for Smith would mean everything for a young Captain who has had a win over the Australian public and media and battle that devastating spell of 5 straight hidings that the team copped in 2016.