India vs Australia, 1st Test: Updated

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India vs Australia, 1st Test: Cheteshwar Pujara defies Australia with brilliant century

Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates his century against Australia with teammate Mohammed Shami (L).(AFP)
Updated: Dec 06, 2018 15:39 IST

By Agence France-Presse, Adelaide

Cheteshwar Pujara raced past 5,000 Test runs and on the way scored one of his best centuries on Thursday, with the experienced number three crediting a stint at Yorkshire for helping him prepare.

The 30-year-old compiled a patient 123 in hot and difficult conditions at Adelaide Oval to help India stay in the opening Test against Australia with 250-9 at stumps.

He rated his 16th Test ton as among his most memorable, hitting seven fours and two sixes in his 246-ball stay at the crease as wickets fell around him.

“It was one of my top innings in Test cricket, I could say top five. I can’t rate whether it was one of the best but the teammates who were appreciating said that this is one of the best,” he said.
Pujara began slowly, grinding out ones and twos, and only really started going after the bowlers as they tired towards the end of the day.

He was run out attempting a quick single on the second-last ball of the day by a diving Pat Cummins.

“I was a bit disappointed but I had to take that single because only the last two balls were left and I thought I should be on strike, so I took the chance but he fielded brilliantly,” he explained.

Pujara tends not to play much white ball cricket and said the extra time he had to prepare for the Test series had paid dividends.

He said his innings had demonstrated that he was as comfortable scoring runs overseas as at home.


“It means a lot (the century), but I would also like to say that people say that I’ve scored more runs in India,” said the right-hander, who is playing his 65th Test.
“But at the same time you need to look at the number of matches we play in India. So I will obviously score runs there.


“At times I’ve had bad phases playing overseas but I still feel very confident when it comes to different conditions.

“Playing county cricket has helped me a lot, and playing in England conditions are always challenging and when you come to Australia you know that it is slightly better.

“And as I said, I had a pretty decent time to prepare before this Test series.”


Pujara has had two stints as an overseas player for county side Yorkshire, in 2015 and again during the recent English summer. He has also appeared for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

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India vs Australia 1st Test Day 2 : AUS trail by 59 runs at stumps

Adelaide : Australia were 191 for 7 at close of play in their first innings on the second day of the opening Test against India on Friday. Travis Head and Mitchell Starc were batting on 61 and 8 respectively on the draw of stumps. Australia still trail by 59 runs with 3 first innings wickets in hand. Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the India bowlers as he ended with figures of 3/50. Earlier, India were dismissed for 250 in their first innings after Mohammad Shami was dismissed on the first ball of the day. Cheteshwar Pujara (123) was the top-scorer as he slammed a majestic century on the opening day of the encounter in Adelaide
WATCH : SCORE CARD

[whitewolf]

india is right now in good postion to win this match never seen a worst batting performance like this from australia at home 

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Australia vs India, 1st Test Day 3: Pujara stands tall to put India in command

Score: India 151/3, lead Australia by 166 runs at stumps; Cheteshwar Pujara 40*; Ajinkya Rahane 1*.

Adelaide: India built a 166-run lead over Australia on the third day of an absorbing opening Test in Adelaide on Saturday with dangerman Cheteshwar Pujara not out 40, although the late wicket of master batsman Virat Kohli gave the home team a glimmer of hope.

At stumps, the visitors were 151-3, adding to their first innings total of 250. Ajinkya Rahane was not out one, alongside Pujara who scored a gritty first innings century.

It was looking ominous for Australia with Kohli and Pujara compiling a 71-run third-wicket partnership, but spinner Nathan Lyon got a massive breakthrough when he snared the Indian skipper for 34 near the close of play.

Australia were dismissed for 235 just before lunch, with Travis Head top scoring on 72 on a day hit by rain delays, leaving them 15 runs adrift.

India got off to a solid start, with KL Rahul and Murali Vijay enjoying a 63-run partnership. Both failed to fire in the first innings and are battling for one opener's spot once the injured Prithvi Shaw is fit again.

On a difficult batting track, Josh Hazlewood bowled four straight maidens to keep them contained before they began finding their range.

Rahul hit a big six off Pat Cummins as the pair grew in confidence and they were racing along before Mitchell Starc got enticed Vijay into nicking an attempted drive to Peter Handscomb in the slips and he was out for 18.

Rahul played some audacious strokes, including a reverse sweep, before a loose shot to a Josh Hazlewood ball found a big edge and he was caught behind for 44 by Tim Paine.

The unflappable Pujara crucially survived two decisions by the umpire giving him out, with both reversed on review in a cruel blow to Australia.

In the first, he was initially dismissed caught behind off Lyon on eight, and in the second was adjudged out lbw, also to Lyon, on 17.

Master-blaster Kohli, who emerged to boos from a section of the crowd, shunned his trademark flamboyance to grind out runs before jabbing at a short ball from Lyon and Aaron Finch took an easy catch.

On the way, he reached another milestone, joining a select few Indians -- including Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid -- to score 1,000 Test runs in Australia.

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[krish_999]

Why no more updates here? Lost interest?
Keep posting.

[Vikatakavi02]

Not exactly... just the server is slow these days and 'm unable to post any news

[Vikatakavi02]

Team India register historic win in Adelaide, resolute Pujara steals the show

Man of the Match Cheteshwar Pujara shone with bat in both innings while the Indian bowlers came to the party to help India beat Australia by 31 runs in the first Test of the four-match series at the Adelaide Oval on Monday. This is India’s second win at the famous venue after Rahul Dravid powered them to a victory in 2003. Moreover, this is the first time in their history that India have won the first match of a Test series Down Under.
It was a thriller that ended with Ashwin taking the edge of Josh Hazlewood’s bat and KL Rahul completing a smart catch at second slip. The 32-run partnership between Nathan Lyon and Hazlewood was starting to bother the Indian bowlers and a sense of frustration was visible on the Indian players’ face, but the fightback ended in the last over before the tea break as the Indian players erupted in joy in what was a well-deserved win. The Australian innings finally ended on 291 with Lyon staying unbeaten on 38.

Credit to all the Indian bowlers who performed as a unit to put the Australian batsmen on the mat. Jasprit Bumrah (3/68) and R Ashwin (3/92) were brilliant as was Mohammed Shami as he finished with figures of 3/65. It was an all-round effort from the Indians on a wicket that stayed true right through the game.

Starting on 104/4 on the fifth morning, the partnership between Shaun Marsh and Travis Head lasted only 7.4 overs before India forced the breakthrough. Head (14) was the first to go, with Ishant Sharma bowling a sharp bouncer that followed the batsman and left him no room. The ball looped up to gully where Ajinkya Rahane made no mistake.
Time Paine joined Marsh the crease and the southpaw went on to score his first half-century in the fourth innings of a Test off 146 balls. It was his 10th Test half-century overall.

He had looked comfortable at the crease all morning, but Jasprit Bumrah removed him after the drinks break. The big moment came as the ball moved away just a tad and Marsh gave the slightest of edges to be caught behind in the 73rd over.
Paine and Pat Cummins displayed steady cricket to take the hosts to 186/6 at lunch, with Australia needing 137 to win. The duo had put on 30 runs off 65 deliveries to keep Australia alive in the match.

On the seventh delivery after the break, Bumrah scalped his second wicket of the innings by getting rid of danger-man Paine for 41. Mitchell Starc came into batting next and provided some resistance by scoring a brisk 28 that included couple of boundaries as well.

Starc’s innings was finally cut short by Shami who scalped his third wicket of the day after wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant took an easy catch and in doing so took the top slot in the list of most dismissals by a stumper (11) in the longest format along side Jack Russell and AB De Villiers. The Indian bowlers got rid of the final two batsmen soon to complete a resounding win and go 1-0 up in the series.
Earlier, India scored 250 in their first innings with Cheteshwar Pujara anchoring with his 16th Test century. Australia replied with 235 and conceded a 15-run lead. The visitors then finished 307 in their second innings, including a collapse of 5 for 25, and set a 323-run target on day four.

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Post-match Presentation

Tim Paine (AUS Captain): "It's pretty shattering. But India thoroughly deserved to win. We thought we could do it. But our batters couldn't bat for long enough with our tail to win. I thought Pujara was probably the difference between the two sides. We go to Perth with a belief we can still win this Test series" How's the finger?: "Finger is fine. Thank you"

Virat Kohli (IND Captain): "It's important to stay calm. The odds were stacked up against them as soon as we got Pat Cummins out. I wouldn't say I was cool as ice but you try not to show it. It was just a matter of one mistake or one good ball. Super proud to have four bowlers and take 20 wickets to win this Test match. It's up to our batsmen to step up in this series. Pujara and Rahane stood up in this match. I thought we were the better team and deserved to win. I think when they bat together like that they are our most solid pair. I think it took a lot of grit and determination to put us past Australia. I think our middle order and lower order could've done better. These things are things to keep in mind for Perth. But if you had given me 1-0 up after the first game I would've taken that"

Cheteshwar Pujara is Player of the Match: "I think playing here before has helped me a lot. I think what has helped me is the preparation. Ultimately winning the Test match credit to all the bowlers. The first innings lead of 15 gave us the belief batting in the second innings. I always back my ability and I've got enough experience." "It means a lot, he'll be a proud father. I'd like to thank him for all his support throughout my career."