For the second day in a row in the ongoing first Test between India and Australia at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, the hosts grabbed the honours. After putting up a strong show with the ball on day one, Team India put up a similar display with the bat on the second Test to take command of the series-opener.
The home side bowled out the visitors for a paltry 177 on day one with Ravindra Jadeja leading the charge with the ball. Skipper Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten fifty then helped India end the day on 77 for 1.
On day 2, Rohit went on to complete his century before Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel scored unbeaten fifties to put India firmly in the driver’s seat. At stumps, India were on 321 for 7 with Jadeja unbeaten on 66 and Axar batting on 52. The left-handers have shared an unbeaten stand of 81 runs so far.
Twitter trolls Australia:
As Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel kept piling on the runs in Nagpur, the Australian team management as well as the Australian media faced flak on the social media. The reason behind the trolling was their apprehension regarding the pitch for the ongoing Test.
After the pitch was unveiled, several media outlets from Australia had accused the hosts of doctoring the pitch. They had suggested that ground staff in Nagpur had prepared separate parts of the pitch in different ways to try and target Australia’s left-handers’ heavy batting line-up.
Australia batting mainstay Steve Smith had also said something on the similar line while interacting with the media.
“Pretty dry, particularly one end,” Smith had told reporters when asked about the surface.
“I think it will take a bit of spin, particularly the left-arm spinner taking it into our left-handers. There’s a section there that’s quite dry,” he had added.
Well, Australia’s left-handers did prove their media and their team-management right by putting up a horrible show with the bat. Australia’s five left-handed players’ scores in the first innings read – 1, 1, 0, 36 and 0.
The Indian left-handers, however, proved the Australian media and the team-management wrong by putting up a stunning display with the bat. Jadeja and Axar showed that there were no demons in the pitch as they scored fine unbeaten fifties. And as the duo dominated the Australian bowlers, Twitter had some laugh at the expense of the Aussie media and the team.
Here are some of the reactions:
So, the 0.75% of the pitch that wasn't watered, "doctored" rather, was done only to accommodate Jaddu & Axar, is it? : )
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) February 10, 2023
Stumps.
Today was so unfair, everything came from "out of syllabus". This pitch wasn't meant for lefthanders!
?
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) February 10, 2023
Before the Test: Curators kept one part dry to make it tough for left-handers.
On Day 2: Both the left-handers of the Indian team scored a fifty.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 10, 2023
Two left handers taking India's lead past 100 another great moment for the pre-match narrative…
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) February 10, 2023
Scorecards of Left handers in this Nagpur Test match:
•For Australia – 1, 1, 0, 36, 0.
•For India – 66*, 52*— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) February 10, 2023
How badly the Aussies messed up their selection with all that fuss over the left-handers on this wicket! And here’s @imjadeja and @akshar2026 – two lefties – scoring a half-century each and are still unbeaten. #INDvAUS
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) February 10, 2023
India left-handers taking their lead past 100
Increasingly think that pre-match pitch reading is a pseudoscience
— Mark Puttick (@GryllidaeC) February 10, 2023
Its so funny that India had done pitch doctoring to make batting difficult for Australian left handers that India’s only two left handers in the XI both scored fifties and still batting.?♂️
— Jainil (@jainilism) February 10, 2023
As our left-handers Ravindra Jadeja & Axar Patel dominate proceedings, our condolences to pitch merchants! #INDvsAUS ?? pic.twitter.com/7LOYzJWBws
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) February 10, 2023
This untroubled partnership by two left handers on a pitch supposedly 'doctored' against left handers is just trolling the Australian Media now.
— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) February 10, 2023
Australia was crying about doctored pitches for left-handers, but Jadeja-Axar showing mirror to their players and media. #INDvsAUS #CricketTwitter #BGT2023
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) February 10, 2023
I am getting confirmed reports that they doctored Jadeja's eyes as well to see hidden spots on a pitch that is otherwise designed as a left handers graveyard.
— cricBC (@cricBC) February 10, 2023
Also Read: IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma Becomes The First Indian Captain To Score Century In All Three Formats