India vs Australia, 1st Test Day 2: How Steve O'Keefe dismantled India in Pune
Pune: From 94/3 to 105 all out, India did everything wrong as Steve O’Keefe ran riot to power Australia to 155-run lead on Day 2 of the first India versus Australia Test here on Friday.
India, who have not lost a game in their last 19 Tests, were put to sword on a track that was prepared to help the Indian spinners.
While India were in a spot of bother after losing three wickets – Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, in the first session on Day 2, O’Keefe turned the heat on India as he scalped three wickets in an over to run through the Indian batting-line up in the second session.
Follow live action from day two of the first India vs Australia Test
The collapse began as KL Rahul, batting on 64, played an absolutely reckless shot as David Warner took a good running catch. Ajinkya Rahane was the next man to get out as he mistimed a shot through the leg-side and Peter Handscomb, standing in the second slip, dived towards his right to pluck one out of thin air.
If two wickets in an over were not enough, O’Keefe, who is fondly called as Sock, removed Wriddhiman Saha as he edged one to Steve Smith in the slips.
Nathan Lyon joined the party in the next over as he dismissed R Ashwin for 1. The Indian all-rounder hit one on to his shoe as the ball lobbed in the air and Handscomb, manning the forward short-leg area, scooped one inches off the ground.
O’Keefe, who had his tail up by now, then had Jayant Yadav as his fourth wicket. The Indian batsman did not drag his feet back as Matthew Wade whipped off the bails.
The 32-year-old O'Keefe, who did not look too much of a threat in the first session, had his fifth wicket as Ravindra Jadeja, who tried to clear the fence in search of some runs, was caught in the deep by Mitchell Starc. O'Keefe completed his six-wicket haul after Umesh Yadav, who wanted to whack one out of the ground, edged it to Smith in the slip.
