Match Blog: O’Keefe Takes 6 Wickets; India Bundled Out For 105

Australia 1st innings: 260 (Renshaw: 68, Starc: 61; U Yadav: 4/32, R Ashwin: 3/63)

India 1st innings: 105 (Rahul: 64, Rahane: 13; O’Keefe: 6/35, Starc: 2/38)

Before the series started, there was a lot of hype about Steve O'Keefe and he has definitely lived up to his expectations.

O'Keefe dismisses Umesh Yadav for four runs and wraps up the Indian innings for just 105 runs. India trail Australia by 155 runs.

The left-arm spinner ends up with career best figures of 6/55.

O'Keefe picks up his first five-wicket haul in Tests! Ravindra Jadeja tried to go for a big shot and got out caught by Mitchell Starc at deep midwicket for just two runs.

India have lost their ninth wicket for just 101 runs on the board.

O'Keefe beats Jayant Yadav and Matthew Wade quickly takes off the stumps. Jayant couldn’t put any part of his leg behind the line and is walking back to the pavilion after scoring just two runs!

Can India reach 150 runs at least?

India: 99/8

Nathan Lyon may have felt left out and therefore he came in and dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin for one run in the third ball of the 33rd over.

Ashwin hit the ball on his shoe, while trying to clip the ball on the leg-side. The ball lobbed up from his shoe and Peter Handscomb at short leg and dived to his right to take a fantastic catch!

Australia are on top of the game with India tottering at 95/7 in 34 overs.

India have lost four wickets in eight balls and scored only one run.

O'Keefe is on an absolute roll here! He has just picked up his third wicket in the over! Saha edges one to Steve Smith and gets out for a duck!

India are in deep deep trouble at 95/6 at the end of the 33rd over!

Rahane and Rahul seemed to have the situation under control for India but now both the batsmen are back in the hut. After Rahul got out due to a poor shot, the Mumbai batsman edged a delivery off Steve O'Keefe and got out caught at slip for 13 runs.

KL Rahul, who was playing a brilliant innings, has given away his wicket while trying to hit a big six. He went after Steve O'Keefe and got out caught by David Warner at long-off for 64 runs.

But as soon as he played the shot, he went down onhis knees catching his shoulder. Hopefully, he hasn’t incurred a bad injury, because he is the only Indian batsman that has looked good till now.

India’s opener KL Rahul has quietly gone about his business when wickets have been tumbling around him. The 24-year-old brings up his second Test fifty in 84 balls.

Rahul has played very cautiously in his innings so far. While he has defended the good balls, he has also managed to strike seven boundaries and a six in his innings.

India: 80/3 after 28 overs.

Ajinkya Rahane (6*) and KL Rahul (47*) have managed to calm the situation down for India with a 27-run partnership. India were struggling at 44/3, when Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara got out to Mitchell Starc in the same over.

But thereafter, Rahane and Rahul have played confidently and got off to a decent start. They will have to string a big partnership in the next session, if the Indian team want to stamp their authority on this match.

A lot of pre-series chatter revolved around Mitchell Starc and the pacer replaces Hazlewood with the ball. And what a call by Smith, Starc strikes for his captain.

Two wickets in one over.

First Pujara and then Indian skipper Virat Kohli sent packing. Pujara caught behind by Wade and Handscomb latches on to Virat’s edge.

India: 44/3 in 14.4 overs

KL Rahul’s innings so far is peppered with boundaries, and even a maximum. Four fours and one six to be precise. A little struggle with cramps though, specially after that last six. Needed medical attention but he’s continuing at the crease.

At the other end, Pujara is holding fort.

Josh Hazlewood has got Australia’s first breakthrough. Murali Vijay edges one straight to a waiting Matthew Wade.

Vijay: 10 off 19 | India: 26/1

Murali Vijay and KL Rahul starting things off for India with O'Keefe and Starc the bowlers of Australia’s choice.

Three boundaries off Rahul’s over and India have 16 up in 4 overs.

Will Umesh Yadav complete his second five-wicket haul was the question we started the day with but R Ashwin was handed the first over and 4 minutes in, Australia are walking back to the dressing room.

Fifth delivery of the day and Starc on 61 goes for a big one. Caught at deep midwicket.

Australia all out for 260.

Umesh Yadav gave a brilliant exhibition of reverse swing bowling before Mitchell Starc's rearguard half-century helped Australia post 256/9 at stumps on the first day.

On a pitch that could be termed a rank turner, it was fast bowler Umesh, who showed exemplary skills with the old ball, returning with figures of 4/32 in 12 overs reducing Australia to 205 for nine before Starc staged a recovery with a ferocious counter-attack.

Starc used his long handle to good effect as he blasted the second new ball getting five fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 57 off 58 balls. Enroute to his ninth half-century in Tests, Starc also completed 1000 runs in the longest format.