India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate’s optimistic outlook for his bowling unit after the first day of the second Test match in Adelaide hinged on a simple tweak: bowl fuller.
“If we bowl slightly better, we feel like we can get back in the game tomorrow. The lengths could have been slightly fuller to encourage more play. I thought Australia left very well. It seemed to be a trademark of the way they play,” ten Doeschate said on Friday after the home side ended the opening day at 86 for one.
In the 33 overs that Australia batted, most of which were played during the much-feared twilight phase of the day, its batters shouldered arms to nearly 38 per cent deliveries. This comfort in letting the deliveries pass was due to India not targeting the stumps enough.
More than 21 per cent of India’s deliveries were more than 0.5 metre outside the off-stump line. Further, as ten Doeschate mentioned, India was not full enough to let the pink ball swing or move off the seam. Australia landed 28 per cent deliveries at a full length, drawing the Indian batters into the shots and thereby creating chances. In comparison, India bowled only 14 per cent deliveries in that region.
The shorter length coupled with the wide lines allowed the Australian batters the opportunity to leave balls with ease without having to worry about their off-pole being knocked back.
READ | A Study in Pink – The curious case of the ‘twilight phase’ in day-night Tests
India’s shortcomings with the ball on the first day can be highlighted further by drawing a comparison with Mitchell Starc, who registered his best Test figures in the first innings.
The lanky left-arm pacer threw 87 balls on the first day, picking up six wickets while conceding 48 runs, which corresponds to an average of 7.5 (a wicket every 7.5 runs).
Starc’s modus operandi was evident from the first ball of the match when he fired in a full delivery on the stumps, with a hint of shape, to trap Jaiswal in front. The pacer recorded his 17th first-over dismissal in Tests, the second-highest in history, only behind England’s James Anderson (28 wickets).
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has the second-highest number of first-over dismissals in Tests.
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has the second-highest number of first-over dismissals in Tests.
The 34-year-old bowled 34.4 per cent of his deliveries at the fuller length. In contrast, India’s vice-captain and main bowling threat, Jasprit Bumrah, only had 7.5 per cent of his balls falling in that zone.
With just 94 runs left in its first-innings bank, the mending job, or at least the attempt of it, was evident.
On Saturday, only three per cent deliveries were more than 0.5 metre away from the off stump. Instead, India persisted with the fourth-stump channel, often referred to as the corridor of uncertainty, peppering 50 per cent of its deliveries outside the off-stump making it difficult for the batter to leave.
Bumrah’s full deliveries shot up from 7 per cent to 21 per cent and the change in approach yielded early dividends, getting Nathan McSweeney to feather to Rishabh Pant from a delivery angling into the off-stump line.
His new-ball partner Mohammed Siraj bowled 25 per cent of his deliveries in the full zone, moving up from 15 per cent the previous day.
While this approach tested the batters more, even helping prise out the wicket of Steve Smith who strangled one down leg, it fell into the hands of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head who were able to accumulate runs on the leg side.
Close to 46 per cent of balls bowled at Labuschagne were aimed at the stumps, going up from 26 per cent on Day 1. Similarly, almost 29 per cent of deliveries at Head were in line with the stumps. While the former scored 32 runs in front of square on the on side, the latter, who slammed his third pink-ball century, was able to score 61 runs in this region.
With batting conditions easing through the second day, India’s recalibration in lengths proved too little too late. It did little to compensate for the opportunity India missed during the final session on Friday. The third session in day-night Tests sees wickets fall at an average of 25.16 runs, much lower than the corresponding number of 30.34 in day games.
On Saturday, Australia pressed home its advantage further by putting up a clinic in bowling in the final session. It kept more than half its deliveries on the fourth-stump line and persisted with fuller lengths, sending 25 per cent of its deliveries in the region. Close to 12 per cent of the deliveries in this session were projected to hit the stumps, much higher than 4 per cent managed by Rohit Sharma’s side a day earlier.
The five wickets in the 24 overs rubbed salt in India’s wounds and pushed it further to the brink. India is still 33 runs behind and stares at the prospect of a defeat on the third day.