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Australia make a DISASTROUS start to tour of India as early wickets fall cheap, David Warner sending a direct message over pitch rigged on his way to the sheds.
- Both Australian openers departed for one
- It has been a disastrous start for Australia.
- Side chasing first series win there in 19 years
Australia made the worst possible start to their Test series against India, with David Warner and Usman Khawaja both out by just one three overs in the game.
Warner’s stumps somersaulted, a sight that became all too common for the aging opener, with speedy Indian Mohammed Shami delighted when the Australian appeared to blame the pitch for missing the ball outright.
The 36-year-old opener’s poor form in India continues, where he is averaging just 24.25.
Khawaja did not fare much better, surviving an appeal, but was then given BPN by the third referee after a Mohammed Siraj ball stayed low on the leg.
David Warner was brought down by a delivery from Mohammed Shami that sent his stump tumbling.
Australia have not won a Test series in India for 19 years and despite Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green pulling out at the last minute, a breakthrough victory was not out of the question with skipper Pat Cummins.
A lot will now depend on the bats of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, with Travis Head falling sensationally in favor of Peter Handscomb and Matthew Renshaw.
If Warner’s problems continue, that will only increase.
As he walked away after his dismissal, he pointedly stared at the wicket, following pre-Test concerns that India had rigged the pitch to make life difficult for left-handers, although this delivery did not appear to do anything wrong.
It was a decision that sparked a Twitter frenzy over cricket and prompted a rebuke from Australian legend Steve Waugh, who said it was “gamble and over-analysis” on the back of Head’s best-ever Test summer.
“Hard to believe we can drop the No. 4 ranked Test batsman in the world and probably our best batsman in the last 12 months, plus he plays better than average out of spin. Let’s wait and see, maybe the Australian selectors are geniuses!” Waugh wrote on his Instagram.
Australian great Damien Martyn agreed with Waugh, writing “it’s a great decision, now we hope”, while fans and pundits were also shocked by the decision.
Despite his incredible summer test, including this century at the Adelaide Oval, Travis Head went down sensationally in the first Test against India.
The lefty made 655 runs at 50.38 in 2022 and batted at a phenomenal strike rate. Crucially, he seemed more comfortable and confident in his career in the fold, and seemed ready to put his subcontinental woes behind him.
On the other side of the coin, Handscomb hasn’t played Test cricket since 2019, while Renshaw also spent significant time in the desert before being called up for the New Year’s Test in Sydney.