11 runs, 7 Indian wickets

Subhash Rajta

Tribune News Service

Pune, February 24

7/11. The figure looks ominous given its eerie resemblance to the date on which something extremely terrible happened. In comparison to that dreaded date, it’s an innocuous number that merely sums up an extraordinary Indian collapse against Australia on the second day of their first Test here on Friday.

In a shocking collapse, India lost seven wickets for merely 11 runs and slipped from a rather healthy 94/3 to 105 all out in just eight overs! It is India’s worst ever collapse involving the fall of seven wickets. The fact that it was scripted by a bowler, Steve O’Keefe, who had played just four Tests before this match and was playing his maiden Test in India makes it even more shocking. 

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O’Keefe, who had looked ordinary before lunch, suddenly turned unplayable after lunch and picked up six of the last seven wickets, giving away just eight runs. The spectators had just settled down for the post-lunch, hoping to see KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane build a good partnership, but they instead saw the Australian left-arm spinner destroying the famed Indian batting.

After rolling out rank turners against South Africa and struggling against their spinners in late 2015, India prepared good tracks against New Zealand and England and won pretty handsomely. Somehow, they couldn’t resist the urge to take on Australia on a turning track, and the decision has backfired. Australia, 143/4 in their second innings, now lead by 298 runs. This Test is as good as lost, and only some miraculous batting in their second innings can save them.

Anil Kumble, India’s head coach, put it down to “one bad day” in office. “You are bound to have a bad day (after a long and successful run). This pitch was certainly challenging, so we needed to show a lot more restraint. It was unfortunate that once Rahul got out, we lost the bearing,” he said.