India's Bengaluru Bash: The Epic Test Battle Against Australia

(Indian team celebrating after taking a wicket of Australian batter in Bangalore test match)

A test series against Australia always brings out one of the best clashes for the Indian team and the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India was another series that brought out the best between both the teams. That series was a battle between two teams who have always fought hard against each other and this time, it was a battle between Steve Smith and Virat Kohli to see who is the real king of Test cricket. Australia proved to be the ultimate challenge for India on home soil, unlike previous opponents like England, New Zealand, and South Africa. The series was a rollercoaster of drama, fights, and intense competition, with Australia standing out as the most formidable foe. Their aggressive play and unwavering determination tested India's mettle like never before, setting a new benchmark in the cricketing rivalry. Despite the odds, India rose to the challenge, showcasing resilience and skill in a battle that captivated fans worldwide.

What happened before the Bangalore test match in the series?

In February 2017, Australia landed in India for a 4-match Test Series which was a big task for them as India was on a superb run after beating England, New Zealand, and South Africa in the previous series. For the Indian team, this series was another event to prove how good they were at home and hence the first test in Pune was a chance for them to stamp their authority on the Australian team. But what followed was a complete mayhem for the Indian team.

Australia batted first in the match and scored 260 runs with the help of Mitchell Starc’s 61 runs which helped the team to reach a competitive total on the turning pitch of Pune. Coming to the Indian team, they found it difficult to face the Australian spinner Steve O'Keefe who ran through their batting order by picking up 6 wickets and giving away just 35 runs. He dismissed KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and others to get India all out at just 105 runs.

(Steve Smith acknowledging the crowd after his sublime century in the Pune Test)

With a lead of 155 runs, Australia started their second innings positively and it was all about Steve Smith who scored a century on the turning track of Pune and ensured that the game was out of reach for the Indian team. With a massive target of 441 runs, Australia came out to bowl and again it was Steve O'Keefe’s 6-wicket haul that gave Australia a 1-0 lead in the series as India lost the match by 333 runs.

Indian Team's Crucial Win in Bangalore Test

After a thumping victory in the first test, everyone knew that Australia was here to fight and hence were confident of getting another win in Bangalore to take the series home. Virat Kohli after winning the toss elected to bat first and apart from KL Rahul, no one in the entire team was able to contribute well. KL Rahul scored 90 runs while the other 10 players could manage only 99 runs and hence India was dismissed for just 189 runs in the first innings which looked to be a bit less than what was expected from the team.

When Australia came out to bat, they started positively and it was Matt Renshaw who scored 60 runs while Shaun Marsh complimented him well by scoring 66 runs and hence Australia propelled to 276 runs in the second innings to get a lead of 87 runs. They looked confident with the lead and hence were at the top of the game by the end of day 3. Coming to the third inning, India was 120-4 at one stage and had just 37 in their account, and looked almost done with the match and series.

Then Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane stitched a partnership to take India out of trouble as Pujara scored a brilliant 92 runs while Rahane scored 52 runs to give India a lead of 187 runs as they were bowled out for just 274 runs and Australia were looking confident of chasing the target to take the series 2-0 in their favour now. The fourth innings of the match started on a positive note as Australia got to 22 runs in just 4 overs. But what followed after that was a complete collapse as they started losing wickets at regular intervals.

India vs Australia, 2nd Test at Bengaluru, Mar 04 2017, Australia tour of India
India	Australia
189 (71.2 overs)	276 (122.4 overs)
KL Rahul 90(205)	Shaun Marsh 66 (197)
Nathan Lyon 8/50 (22.4 overs)	Ravindra Jadeja 6/63 (21.4 overs)
274 (97.1 overs)	112 (35.4 overs)
Cheteshwar Pujara 92 (221)	Steve Smith 28 (48)
Josh Hazlewood 6/67 (24 overs)	Ravichandran Ashwin 6/41 (12.4 overs)
India won by 75 runs

The masterpiece from Ravichandran Ashwin helped the Indian team to come out at the top of the contest as he picked up 6 wickets in 12.4 overs and gave away just 41 runs to seal the deal for the Indian team and hence the series was now 1-1 tied with the end of the second test. For the Indian team, a comeback in the test was needed to stay alive in the series while for the Australian team, a loss here meant that the series was now wide open and hence it won’t be easy for them now to claim it.

The Brain Fade Incident: Steve Smith's Moment of Controversy

During the second innings of the Australian batting, Steve Smith was batting and was taking the team towards victory when Umesh Yadav trapped him in front of the stumps and appealed for LBW to which the umpire raised his finger. While discussing with his partner Peter Handscomb, Smith looked up at the dressing room to get insights on whether he should opt for DRS or not. However, according to the rules, it wasn’t allowed to ask from the Dressing room about the DRS and hence it agitated the Indian skipper Virat Kohli who talked about it to the umpire and he instantly asked Smith to leave the field.

Reflecting on the incident, Steve Smith attributed his actions to a momentary lapse in judgment, describing it as a "brain fade." He confessed to glancing at his teammate Peter Handscomb for advice regarding a review decision but admitted it was a mistake. However, tensions heightened when Indian captain Virat Kohli criticized Smith's behaviour in the post-match conference.

(Virat Kohli having a word with Umpire during the brain fade incident)

Kohli stopped short of accusing Smith of cheating but expressed frustration over Australian players seeking assistance from the dressing room during DRS decisions. Kohli stressed the importance of fair play, highlighting that such actions breached cricketing ethics. He conveyed his disappointment with the behaviour, emphasizing that it crossed the line of sportsmanship. The incident sparked debate and scrutiny regarding the use of technology and ethical conduct in cricket matches.