India vs Australia: Stop Steve Smith, Virat Kohli’s top agenda in Bangalore

Virat Kohli will hit the 25-mark as Test skipper when he lead India cricket team into the second Test against Australia at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Saturday, but the milestone will be the last thing on his mind.

The 28-year-old, who has led the team by example since he took over after Mahendra Singh Dhoni abruptly quit during the 2014-15 Australia tour, will be anxious to find a way out after the hosts capitulated on a rank turner in the first Test in Pune, losing by 333 runs within three days.

Read more | Michael Clarke feels India will be tougher for Australia to beat in Bengaluru

It can’t be a pleasant situation if the home team is forced to scramble for Plan B in its den; and it will be a big challenge as Kohli seeks to find ways to bounce back and restore parity in the four-Test series. Australia have retained the team that routed India inside three days.

It's a lovely sunny morning here in Bengaluru as #TeamIndia gather in a huddle before preparations begin on Test match eve #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/VbyXysS7SY

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2017

India appeared to inflict Steve Smith’s team an ordeal by spin and their own batsmen were expected to brush aside everything the Aussie bowlers would throw at them.

Read more | Anil Kumble backs Ajinkya Rahane to keep slot in Indian cricket team for 2nd Test

Instead, the roles were reversed in the first Test on a pitch that was later pronounced ‘poor’ by the International Cricket Council following an adverse report by match referee, Chris Broad, a former England batsman.

Chinnaswamy curator Narayan Raju of course channelling @HaydosTweets who did the same thing in Bangalore back in 2008 ... and 2004 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/gwxnKtTRCI

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 3, 2017

India will thus need to tackle a few things, not necessarily in this order to regain control in the series.

STOP THE RAMPAGING SMITH

While India’s own batting floundered, dismissed for 105 and 107 in the Pune Test, it was rival skipper Steven Smith’s second innings century that killed any hopes the hosts had to retrieving the game.

Read more | Michael Clarke’s different strokes: Turns autowallah in Bangalore’s streets

The world’s No 1 ranked batsman, Smith hit 109 to leave India facing a 441-run fourth innings target.

.@karun126 getting a few hits in the nets. First the calm and then the flourish #TeamIndia #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/D7gc0dnahZ

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 2, 2017

In seven Tests against India, Smith has aggregated 1066 runs at a massive average of 88.83. His career average is a shade over 60. In 14 innings, he has hit five centuries and three half-centuries.

Read more | Bangalore no Garden of Eden as India aim to hit back at Australia after Pune loss

So, the message for the India bowlers will be clear. Stop the Australia skipper on his tracks.

TACKLE AUSSIE SPIN BETTER

India’s focus ahead of the first Test was off-spinner Nathan Lyon, but it was left-arm spinner, Steve O’Keefe who confounded them by capturing six wickets in each innings, claiming 12/70, the second best figures ever by a bowler in India, just one short of England all-rounder Ian Botham’s haul in 1979-80.

🤔 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/vJwtpvKMsR

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 3, 2017

Indian batsmen’s famed handling of spin has been dented, and they have not always showed the same command facing deliveries coming into the right-hander, unlike the ease with which they have faced leg spin. And O’Keefe’s biggest success has been pitching it well up and getting the ball to hold its line.

A LESSON FOR INDIA SPINNERS

Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were a handful for visiting batsmen through this home season, helping India win eight of their 10 Tests. But experts faulted their pitching the ball in the good length area rather than further up to take away the option of leaving deliveries. Better control and not turning the ball too much, which beats the bat but doesn’t fetch wickets, has been another suggestion for them.

FOCUS ON INDIA’S LINE-UP

India openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul have not fired together and that will be key to allow the middle-order to take charge. The pair have just one half-century opening partnership together so far. Whether Virat Kohli will take a tough call to ring in the changes will have to be seen.

Preparations on in full swing. #TeamIndia sweat it out at the nets in the build up to the second Test in Bengaluru #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/RCmoAhX8Ry

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2017

Off-spinner Jayant Yadav, the third spinner, is a very useful batsman too but didn’t shine with the ball in the Pune Test. Pace bowler Ishant Sharma may hope for better returns to complement fellow new ball bowler, Umesh Yadav.

India may even add an extra batsman, with Karun Nair, who has sat out since scoring a triple century against England in the fifth and final Test in Chennai, an option to play in his home ground. With Ajinkya Rahane struggling against spin at home, Nair could be seen as the player to attack O’Keefe and Lyon.