The big trap ‘spooked’ Aussies fell into as bizarre call sums up Test ‘chaos’: Talking Pts

Australia has been left to sift through the wreckage of a car crash first Test against India, humbled for an innings and 132 runs.

According to a pair of greats, Australia might’ve been beaten before a ball was even bowled in anger in Nagpur.

Meanwhile, Australia has some big selection calls to make before the second Test — and there are no easy answers.

These are the Talking Points from the first Test between Australia and India.

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AUSSIES GOT IN THEIR OWN HEAD. THEY CANNOT AFFORD A REPEAT

When pictures of the Nagpur wicket circulated online, many in the Australian cricket community were up in arms.

The claim was that the pitch had been designed to be a nightmare for left-handers, a convenient factor given five of Australia’s top seven batters in Sydney were lefties.

Even Australia appeared to be buying into things, with pictures circulating of David Warner down on his knees on the pitch, trying to learn as much as possible.

Steve Smith meanwhile spoke about dry the pitch appeared to be — and that was before it was only selectively watered.

The visitors then battled hard at the crease, scoring just 177 and 91 runs in their two innings.

As for India, they chalked up a cool 400 runs on the exact same wicket.

Former Test wicketkeeper Brad Haddin believed all of the pre-match chatter about the pitch meant the Aussies put their “energy into the wrong places” and tripped themselves up.

“The wicket didn’t play as bad as the score suggested,” Haddin told Fox Cricket.

“I think there were five LBWs from the straight ball … they were totally outclassed by India.

“They put too much energy into worrying about what the surface was going to do.

“I think a lot of that came about because I think Australia were worried about the wicket. I think they were spooked about what it was going to do.”

It was just one of several elements of perceived over-thinking from the Aussies before a ball had even been bowled.

A decision was made before the first Test that no warm-up match would be played in India, with Australia instead opting to recreate an Indian wicket on a North Sydney oval.

They also drafted in a bowler to mimic Ravichandra Ashwin’s bowling action so the Aussie batters could feel comfortable against what he had to offer on his home surface.

Evidently, it did not pay off as Ashwin snared eight wickets across the two innings.

Australian cricket legend Allan Border reiterated the visitors “over-thought this particular tour” and believed the next few days will provide ample time for self-reflection and heal “so many scars.”

So, how does Australia get out of their own heads and get themselves back into this Test series?

According to former Test opener Matthew Hayden, the answer is simple.

“That siege mentality has got to stop with some good action, some strong positive mental energy getting put in the right areas,” Hayden said during commentary.

“Having focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t do.”

TRAVIS HEAD CALL WAS A SHOCKER

The power of hindsight is a great one in the realm of sport and it is one that the Australian selectors might have called upon if they had their time again.

Travis Head, one of Australia’s standouts during the summer Tests against the West Indies and South Africa, was sensationally dropped as Matthew Renshaw and Peter Handscomb were picked to provide runs in the middle order.

It was a bold call that had some puzzled, but given the selectors had seen the squad in action in India, they had to be backed in their belief that it was the best course of action for the pitch that had been served up.

Instead, the call backfired spectacularly.

Renshaw was trapped LBW in both innings for a golden duck and a measly score of two.

Handscomb offered more in the first innings with a middling score of 31 from 84 balls faced, but could only score six runs in the second innings as part of a horrendous collective collapse.

Border was baffled at the decision to omit Head, noting it was the moment that proved Australia’s tour was going to be full of “chaos.”

“I think that Travis Head thing… I just could not work out what they were thinking,” Border said.

“Surely you had clarity going into the first Test match about what you wanted to do, what you expected.

“Looking under covers at suspect pitch marks and how they’re looking at the pitch. We always knew it was going to be a turner, I don’t know why the mystery

“That was an odd one for me, that one has come right out of left field.

“I think Travis Head was the perfect example that it was chaos before they even got started.”

AUSSIES TACTICS UNDER FIRE

Australia couldn’t cobble together 200 runs in the first innings, or 100 in the second, but India amassed 400 batting on the same deck once.

So what could’ve Australia done differently?

Apart from batting better, Australia was accused of being too conservative in the field, and not trying enough options to break the Indian batting resistance.

India legend Ravi Shastri was the first to question the Australian approach, raising the sheer lack of short deliveries from Pat Cummins and Scott Boland despite regular partnerships being formed.

“I’m surprised Australia haven’t used the short ball enough,” he said. “Just to break the pattern, even.

“Sometimes when things aren’t going your way, just come around the wicket and bang it in short for three or four overs and see how it goes.”

Hayden said he agreed “100 per cent” adding: “Why not?

“I think it’s a great strategy to turn a six-ball over into a five-ball over. If you get a good bouncer right on-song, it tends to be a dot ball or a chance to get a wicket.”

He then that the lack of short balls was likely thanks to Rohit Sharma scoring two boundaries off the only time Australia tried it.

“So the two opportunities they got punished. I then think that’s a confidence thing on these slow Indian pitches,” he said.  

Nonetheless, Hayden said Australia was guilty of not being proactive enough as India’s lead spiralled out of control.

“These venues are about cricket smarts. They can’t just sit out there and operate. If you’ve got ball in hand, like Pat Cummins did, use the short one, make it happen,” he said.

“In-out fields with spinners. Make it happen. Find a way to keep the game moving forward.”

Later, Mark Waugh echoed Hayden’s concerns.

“I think the Australians have probably been a bit too conservative with their tactics in this innings,” he said.

“They’ve been very consistent, they haven’t really rolled the dice (on bowling on the legs), or on the short stuff. 

“Sometimes when partnerships are building you’ve got to roll the dice and change it up, just for an over or two.”

Another period where Australia didn’t try enough was on day two, Allan Border said, when Marnus Labuschagne was used sparingly.   

“There were certain periods (on day two) he could’ve bowled more overs, for sure,” he said on Fox Cricket.

“You know what he’s like. He has that habit of — he can bowl some full balls which happen with part-timers, but he can also take some wickets.

“He was under-utilised for sure throughout that innings.”

‘WHERE DO WE GO?’ SPINNER CREATES MAJOR HEADACHE

“So, where do we go?”

Those were the words of Border during the day three lunch break on Fox Cricket after India was finally bowled out for 400.

They related to the gaping chasm on the bowling scorecard: Debutant Todd Murphy took 7-124, with Cummins (2-78) and Nathan Lyon (1-126) the only other wicket-takers.

“It’s a worrying thing for me that the debutant got 7-fa and there was little to show from the rest of the bowling,” Border said.

“Going forward, what’s the make-up of the side look like? Because it looks like Murphy is going to play, and you’re not going to drop Nathan Lyon at this stage.

“So, where do we go?”  

It’s a valid question with no obvious answer at this stage.

Indeed, it would be awfully harsh to drop someone who took seven wickets on debut, or someone who has more than 460 Test wickets.

That situation means Australia could well field two off-spinners yet again in the second Test alongside captain Cummins.

How the rest of the attack looks is unclear, and will be heavily influenced by the fitness of Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green (more on this below).

Nonetheless, if selectors weren’t comfortable with how things worked out in the first Test by having two off-spinners in the same side, solving that conundrum is now awfully difficult.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson or left-arm orthodox Ashton Agar are Australia’s options to turn the ball the other way, but if neither Murphy or Lyon can be dropped, then how do they fit either of them in?

If it’s a raging turner, Australia would hope Green is fit to bowl some overs alongside Cummins, which would open the door to picking three spinners.

If not, then some tough decisions will need to be made.

HOW BADLY DOES AUSTRALIA NEED CAMERON GREEN?

Extremely.

That’s not to say that Green turns an innings-and-132-run-loss into a win, but he does hold the key that can unlock a higher Australian level.

What was made clear in Nagpur is that Australia sorely needs batting depth in India with a lack of conviction in playing spin.

At the same time, Australia can’t go in with a weakened bowling attack — which is why Green’s all-round capability is vital.

Should Green be available, he could take a spot in the middle-order and, if fit, be a fast-bowling partner for Pat Cummins.

That then gives greater flexibility at the selection table.

Three spinners could be added alongside Cummins, one potentially being bowling all-rounder Ashton Agar to add batting depth down to No.8.

With Green still recovering from a finger injury, this wasn’t an option in Nagpur, where Scott Boland partnered Cummins and struggled to create any chances.

Another option moving forward, albeit riskier, could be to add Green to the middle-order and push Alex Carey down to No.8, with the all-rounder forming a four-man attack with three specialist bowlers, plus other part-timers Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

The balance between spin and pace is an important variable, and will be largely dictated by the pitch in Delhi.

Either way, Green’s availability provides a balance that Australia couldn’t find without him in Nagpur.