Even if India wouldn’t have gotten a Steve Smith or a Marnus Labuschagne out, the whole of 1.4 billion population back home was hoping and praying that Travis Head would get out cheaply. Head has given so much pain and trauma in the last 18 months or so to India and the Indian team that he was on the radar of the bowlers front and centre. Thankfully for India, the debutant Harshit Rana took care of the left-hander with a corker of delivery, hitting the top of the off stump.
Rana was on the money right from the first ball he bowled after being called up in the eighth over by skipper Jasprit Bumrah. Head hit a couple of good shots towards point after Harshit erred in line, even though the length was targeting his vulnerability against short-pitched deliveries. That whole over, Harshit peppered him with short deliveries.
At the start of his next over, Harshit had a couple of fielders on the boundary almost fooling Head into being prepared for short stuff. Harshit went a bit fuller on the off-stump line and got the ball to move away just a touch to shatter his stumps. India had their man. Even though Bumrah had taken three wickets before, this one gave a lot more satisfaction not just to the players but to the whole of the country.
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Harshit was cock-a-hoop as he had his maiden international wicket in the form of dangerous Head, who was looking to take on the bowlers despite his team’s precarious position. Mohammed Siraj followed it up with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh as Australia had lost half their side for just 38. India will hope to wrap up Australia below 100, to really seek some sort of advantage going into the second batting innings.
India were bowled out for 150 in their batting innings after Bumrah opted to bat first. Nitish Reddy on debut was the highest run-scorer for India scoring 41 off 58.
