Australian batter Peter Handscomb feels Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin pose a difficult challenge in different ways. The visitors were skittled out for a paltry score of 177 runs in the first innings of the opening Test match at the VCA, Nagpur on Thursday.
The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were the chief destroyer of the innings as they collectively took eight wickets among them. Jadeja returned with figures of 5-47 whereas Ashwin picked 3-42 to help India keep the tourists under 200.
Jadeja, who was making a comeback after five months, was able to hit the ground running as he was right on the money. The left-arm orthodox spinner got the big wickets of Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne and he was the pick of the bowlers.
Furthermore, Ashwin also completed the landmark of 450 wickets when he dismissed Alex Carey. Both Ashwin and Jadeja made the most of their experience and bowled in the right areas to reap their rewards.
On the other hand, Peter Handscomb scored a decent knock of 31 runs but he was plumbed in front by Ravindra Jadeja. Handscomb added 53 runs with Alex Carey, who scored a quickfire 33-ball 36.
Peter Handscomb said, as quoted by cricket.com.au: “They both spin it the same way but they do it differently, similar to how Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin challenge you in different ways. Gazza and Murph will do that as well. They have separate plans, it’s not just going to be the same bowling from each end with the same fields, they’ll chop their change over and around as well.
“They’ll stick to their plans, they won’t try to bowl like each other. Hopefully, that difference is enough.”
Handscomb admitted it was tough to start again once the wicket fell on the pitch, which had enough for the spinners on the opening day.
“It’s tough out there. Jadeja was obviously bowling very well, not really giving our batsmen a lot to hit and I found him tough to score against. It definitely wasn’t easy out there. The Indian team bowl really well as a unit and didn’t give us much to score off.
“Once a wicket fell, it was tough to start again. It gives us a lot of confidence tomorrow that if we can get on a roll we can take a clump of wickets and get the game going in fast forward.”
India finished Day 1 at 77-1 and trailed by another 100 runs.
