Ashton Agar was being touted as the next big thing Down Under. All that, and much more, was put to rest at the Guru Nanak College Ground on Saturday, says a report in the DNA, adding that Gambhir made a huge statement with an edgy but morale-boosting century, while Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary scored attacking fifties as India ‘A’ finished ended Day One at 338/4.
“If Agar went for six an over, Nathan Lyon — the lead spinner —was no better. The offie gave away as many as 97 runs in 20 overs. Xavier Doherty was impressive though, the left-arm spinner scalping three batsmen — including Sharma — to finish with 3/69,” says the report, adding that an intense-looking Gambhir had no hesitation in choosing to bat on a belter.
“About 15 minutes in the game, a fire broke out on the leafy campus, reducing a large workers’ accommodation to ashes. The break, probably, fuelled the fire in Gambhir’s belly. Yes, he struggled to negotiate the pace and movement generated by Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle, but he bided his time. In fact, Punjab’s Jiwanjot Singh, who perished to a brilliant one-handed catch at first slip by stand-in skipper Shane Watson, looked more assured. But the moment Watson took his main men off, Gambhir feasted on the others. Sharma, after a few sweetly-timed strokes, went into a shell,” says the report.
According to a report in The New Indian Express, skipper Gautam Gambhir’s impressive century powered India ‘A’ to 338 for 4 against Australia at stumps on the first day of the three-day practice game at the Gurunanak College here on Saturday. Gambhir’s 112 came off 162 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. Gambhir, who has been dropped from Indian team for the first two Tests against Australia, utilised this opportunity to regain his confidence and show that he has not lost his touch.
“After opting to bat, Gambhir was in his element from the word go. With the wicket being new, he was cautious at the start of the innings. Runs flowed from the meat of his bat once he got into his groove. Gambhir played the fast bowlers and spinners with equal felicity. After Jiwanjot Singh perished cheaply, Gambhir and Rohit Sharma (77) stitched a useful partnership worth 128 runs for the second wicket, which laid the platform for the middle order to consolidate. Gambhir was harsh on spinners Xavier Dohetry and Ashton Agar. He danced down the pitch to hit sixes off the duo with effortless ease. His square cuts off Nathan Lyon and Agar were timed to perfection and enjoyed by the handful of students watching the match,” says the report.
Meanwhile The Hindu reports that skipper Gambhir displayed the tightness around the off-stump, which had eluded him in the Test arena over the past two years, against the pacemen. His judgment of line could not be faulted.
“Gambhir played the two-card trick capably against the spinners. He came down the track, got to the pitch of the ball, and essayed the lofted shots with élan. Consequently, when the Australian spinners pitched a tad short, he went back and produced the cut. Guided by the late Parthasarathy Sharma, Gambhir is a fine exponent of using-the-depth-of-the-crease theory against spinners. Gambhir sliced open off-spinner Nathan Lyon and young left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, picking as many as 40 and 32 runs off them,” says the report, adding that a distraught Agar was given a quiet word of advice by Australian captain Michael Clarke, not playing this game, near the ropes.
“Shane Watson, leading the team in this game, maintained attacking fields that may have allowed India ‘A’ to score quickly, but the Australians will be worried by the lack of control shown by their lead spinner Nathon Lyon. Only left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty managed to make some impression with his quicker variety of left-arm spin with subtle change in angles. He scalped three.”