Honours even after first test by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	India v Australia
Player:	MEK Hussey
Event:	Australia in India 2008/09

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DateLine: 13th October 2008

 

Looking at the way both teams went about their business on the first day after the toss,one just got the feeling that the toss was extremely important.India lost the toss and all the talk was centred around the pitch.The pitch was up and down and extremely tough for strokeplay.Ricky Ponting scored his first hundred on Indian soil.The way he grafted along with Simon Katich, one just got the feeling that it is going to be a tough four days to come.On the second day Australia starting at 254 for 4 once again started slowly with Michael Hussey going on to complete his ninth test hundred with the help of the tail.It was a well grafted century with Australia reaching 430 in the first innings.Zaheer got 5 wickets and Ishant got 4.
India started day 3 at 70 for no loss and it was a collapse.They were struggling to come to terms with the wicket, the field placements the lengths the bowlers were hitting and the areas they were bowling.Ponting had a brilliant session before lunch on the third day as captain.It required a brilliant effort from two former captains Dravid and Ganguly to knuckle down to fight it out initially.But the turning point of the match was an amazing partnership between Zaheer and Harbhajan which helped India to reach safety.Both got half centuries therby minimizing the lead to only 70.India were finally bowled out for 360.
Australia struggled initially in the second innings.But the biggest setback for India was when Anil Kumble did not take the field because of a sore shoulder.Dhoni took over and we were reduced to 3 bowlers on the fourth day.Kumble finally took the field but it was too late.He couldn't bowl till late on the fourth day and Australia got a lead of 263 at the end of the fourth day with 5 wickets remaining. As fifth day started everybody was tensed as all three results were possible.India were set a target of 299 with 83 overs remaining.It was a battle of survival as Sehwag and Dravid fell early.But Gambhir,Sachin and Laxman saw the day through along with Saurav who was playing his last test innings in Bangalore.India earned a creditable Draw as Aussies were going for the kill.But bad light had the final say as India finished at 177 for 4 of 73 overs,breathing a sigh of relief going into the second test at Mohali.