Australian batters were wary of the Indian spinners leading up to the Delhi Test, but it was pacer Mohammad Shami who demolished the visitors’ batting line-up on Day 1 of the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match.
Shami returned with a four-wicket haul (4-60), helping India restrict Australia to 263. Spinners Ravindra Jadeja (3-68) and R Ashwin (3-57) shared the remaining six wickets between them.
Speaking after the first day’s play, Shami said the Indian conditions also offer enough help to the fast bowlers.
"There is not a lot of difference you see with wickets in India. If you can get help with the new ball and can get the old ball to reverse... As a fast bowler, the main thing in Indian conditions is the area you bowl in and you have to maintain pace all along.
"The pitch here is not much different from Nagpur though runs were coming for Australia (in the morning session). But I tried to bowl in the right areas," said Shami in a media interaction.
Shami has formed a lethal combination with Mohammed Siraj in home conditions, and the former said their success is down to the toil in domestic cricket.
"We all have come from domestic cricket. All the fast bowlers have done well and they know how to exploit the home conditions. It won't be right to say the Indian conditions are more suited to spinners or pacers.
"Even recently in domestic cricket, pacers have done well. Focus should be on line and length and maintaining pace. With that you can succeed in all conditions. Even on Indian wickets there is enough. Kuch nai toh reverse milega (if not anything else, you will get reverse swing)," he said.
Asked how the pitch is behaving from both ends, Shami said: "There is not a lot of difference. Indian wickets are on the slower side but there is still enough for the pacers."
"We have been told since the early days that Indian pitches don't help the pacers. But short ball is always a good weapon in India. If it beats the batter it is good, and if the player has to play at it, it's even better, with the short leg on," he explained.
Coming to the match, Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul did well to stay unbeaten at the close of play on Day 1.
Rohit (13*) and Rahul (4*) played out 9 overs, making sure that the hosts finish the opening day on top with the score of 21/0, trailing the visitors by 242 runs.
(With PTI Inputs)
