India batters can break you down mentally and bodily, says Australia spinner who long-established Pune Test win in 2017

India vs Australia: Steve O’Keefe shone in Australia’s well-known win over India in Pune in 2017, selecting up 12 wickets within the match. The left-arm spinner stated he was worn out by the tip of the collection, which india gained 2-1 after scripting a shocking comeback.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 1, 2023 18:11 IST

Steve O’Keefe picked up 12 wickets within the Pune Test vs India in 2017 (AFP Photo)

By India Today Web Desk: 38-year-old Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe has narrated how he went from the jubilation of taking part in a key position in Australia’s well-known Test victory in Pune in 2017 to burning out by the tip of the 4-Test collection in India. Ahead of Australia’s first Test tour of India in 6 years, the left-arm spinner make clear why it is troublesome to dominate the India batters in sub-continent situations.

Steve O’Keefe had picked up 6 wickets in every innings of their first Test in Pune in 2017 as Australia shocked India by 333 runs. Riding on Steve Smith’s hundred and the spin duo of O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon, Australia dealt the primary blow within the fiercely-fought collection.

Steve Smith-led Australia had the upper-hand within the 2nd Test as they sealed a first-innings lead in Bengaluru as Nathan Lyon picked up 8 wickets to bowl India out for 189. However, India clawed again with 274 within the 2nd innings earlier than R Ashwin’s 6-wicket haul helped them bowl Australia out for 112 and seal a 75-run victory.

The third Test in Ranchi is the place India batters floor Australia bowlers, scoring 603 for 9 in response to the customer’s first innings complete of 451. Australia have been made to area for greater than 200 overs and O’Keefe bowled 77 overs within the first innings.

O’Keefe completed the 4-Test collection with 179.1 overs in 7 innings, bowling 13 overs greater than Nathan Lyon. The left-arm spinner managed only one wicket within the closing Test, which India gained by 8 wickets and sealed the collection 2-1.

Stressing that it is laborious work when India bowlers slowly take the sport away from the opposition bowlers, O’Keefe recalled how he was a spent drive after the third Test in Ranchi.

“Personally the tour simply wore me down by the fourth Test. I’m not proud to confess it. I used to be a bit burnt out. I invested a variety of vitality within the three video games as much as that time, bowling 77 overs in an innings in Ranchi.” O’Keefe told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“These guys just break you down mentally, physically, not by playing big shots and taking the game away from you, but by just slowly chipping away getting singles, getting off strike, their forward defence seemed impenetrable.

“At times, you’re like ‘I can’t see a way of getting past…’ These guys were just bulletproof in their defence and had a way of manipulating the scoreboard to keep it moving, keep getting off strike and at times it felt like whatever plans you had were a bit redundant,” he added.

Australia have arrived in India with as many as 4 spinners, led by Nathan Lyon. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and off-spinner Todd Murphy will play assist position to Lyon.

The guests even have a potent tempo assault, led by the trio of captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Australian cricketers started arriving in Bengaluru on Wednesday and they’re going to have a 4-day camp within the metropolis earlier than they head to Nagpur for the primary Test, beginning February 9.

Published On:

Feb 1, 2023