India vs Australia | Bowled well for first four hours but not at the end, says Mitchell Starc

Number three in the Indian batting order Cheteshwar Pujara saved the day for India which could have been a lot more worse than the current score of 250/9 had he not scored 123 runs off double the number of balls. From the start of the Indian innings, the Australian bowlers did not give India any leeway and kept applying pressure by picking wickets at regular intervals by not letting a big partnership form. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc hinted the same and stated that they lost their way a bit at the end of the day’s play.

“I thought we bowled really well for four hours, probably pretty well for another hour and probably got it a bit wrong at the end there,” Starc told reporters.

Though India did not have any big partnership to boast about, Cheteshwar Pujara made sure that he formed small partnerships all throughout the innings and that way he took the Indian total to somewhat respectable 250. Pujara was also praised that Starc for his innings.

“Cheteshwar Pujara batted a lot of time. He’s someone who likes to absorb pressure and bat a long time, and credit to him he scored a fantastic hundred today. I think if you asked us at the start of the day if we’d take losing the toss and India being 9 for 250 at stumps I think we’d bite your arm off,” he added.

After Day 1 of the first Test, the hosts look in the driver's seat as no recognized batsman for India is at the helm at any end for them. But Starc sounded conscience and stated that it would not be really wise to judge the wicket after just one innings and only when Australia bat then it could be judged how much will be a par score on the pitch. 

“You can’t judge a wicket until both teams have had a crack. One good day isn’t going to win a series. It’s going to go a long way to helping win a Test but it’s nothing to win a series,” he said.

Apart from bowling well the Kangaroos also did well in the field. Particularly Usman Khawaja who picked a blinder when Virat Kohli was batting on a personal score of three runs. Starc also commended the effort by his teammate Khawaja and joked that he bring up the catch in discussions from here on.

“He’s made a huge effort over the last nine months I guess and it’s showing in his batting and now it’s showing in his fielding. A great catch and probably one he’ll keep bringing up now as well, so a great effort from him,” Starc said.