Michael Clarke plays down spin factor after opening Test defeat ? Cricket News Update
Despite the Indian spinners sharing all 20 wickets in the opening Test, Australia skipper, Michael Clarke, played down the spin factor, and labeled the defeat on his side?s inability to perform as a unit.
In their first outing on Indian soil, the tourists were easily rolled over by the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom ensured that the hosts struck first blood in the four-match Test series.
The signs were ominous from the start after Ashwin claimed a quickfire five-for in the opening two sessions of the game. However, Clarke and debutant Moises Henriques steadied the innings and provided hope for the Aussie contingent, who then went onto compile a respectable 380 on the board.
The game nonetheless, swung in India?s favour on day 3 when their batting clicked to pile a whooping 572 on the board, with their skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni scoring a stupendous double hundred. With the pitch now offering appreciable turn, Indian spinners duly got into the act and dismissed the Aussies for 241, leaving their batters to chase a mere 50.
Ashwin remained the chief tormentor, collecting 12 wickets in the match, and was given good support by Harbhajan and Jadeja. In contrast, the Aussies were left to rue their bowling combination, which had three fast bowlers and the lone spinner in Nathan Lyon.
Lyon ended with match figures of 4 for 244, while the only pacer to offer support was James Pattinson, who claimed 6 scalps, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Clarke however, did not blame the team composition for the defeat but lamented his side?s poor showing in the second innings.
"Australian spin took three wickets in the first innings, fast bowling took a lot more," Clarke said. "That doesn't mean to say that playing three fast bowlers and a medium-pace all-rounder, we got that right. We need to assess, we need to look at conditions again and work out what we think is the best XI [in Hyderabad].?It's not just about selection, it's about how you perform, I don't think we bowled well enough in our first innings and we certainly didn't bat well enough in our second innings. "?
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