Virat, Harbhajan, Shastri Frugal With Praise for Steve O’Keefe

Steve O'Keefe was instrumental in helping Australia record one of the most famous test victories in recent times but hosts India have been quick to put their heavy defeat down to the pitch in Pune rather than the 32-year-old spinner's performance.

Indian batsmen have built a reputation for their prowess against the turning ball over the years but left-armer O'Keefe shattered that aura as Australia bulldozed the world's top ranked test team inside three days.

O'Keefe's 12-wicket match haul, the best figures recorded by a visiting spinner on Indian soil, earned him the man-of-the-match award but little else in terms of praise from the vanquished hosts.

India captain Virat Kohli blamed his side's twin batting collapses on their recklessness, while others felt the turning track had backfired on them.

Out-of-favour off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has had several run-ins with Australian players, said he was not convinced by O'Keefe's performance and would need to see him in action on a better track.

“I will have to see (O’Keefe) bowl on a good test match wicket. Not this one,” the 36-year-old, who had predicted a 4-0 series defeat for Australia, told reporters. “Until then, I will reserve my comments.”

O'Keefe and off-spinner Nathan Lyon combined to claim all 10 Indian wickets in the second innings to skittle out the hosts for 107, two more runs than they managed in the first, at a venue making its test debut.

All O'Keefe had to do was to bowl faster through air and be accurate, Singh said.

Former coach Ravi Shastri also felt O'Keefe was richly rewarded for his accuracy against the leaden-footed Indian batsmen.

(With inputs from Reuters)