In a remarkable contest of fluctuating fortunes, Team India showed resilience and self-belief to come back into the Test and win it handsomely, the 75-run margin representing daylight on a bowler-friendly pitch. The Australians, after winning the first Test, put up some fine performances to pressure the home team. India found many men of the hour when they were nearly down, and their gutsy display led to one of the great comebacks that makes Test cricket so fascinating. Skipper Virat Kohli, who may be having a rough patch with the bat, rallied his troops at crisis points, driving them on and showing a willingness to take on the opposition’s questionable tactics during the decision review processes.
For good reasons, cricket believes the 11 on the field are the real characters, not anyone from the coaching or support staff. The use of DRS is considered strategically crucial as only two are available in every 80 overs. To consult a third party on DRS is expressly forbidden, which is why Kohli had a bone to pick with Steve Smith’s failure to uphold ethics in his pathetic attempt to bring his dressing room into his decision-making. Smith was clearly guilty on one occasion, though there’s no knowing if Kohli’s charge that it wasn’t the only time the Aussies “crossed the line” is true or not. It was the match referee’s duty to mark the incident by fining Smith. Of course, many other players could yet be sanctioned for on-field behaviour lest the usual heat of India-Australia contests boils over further in the remaining two Tests.
