2nd Test Day 5. Aussies Level at 1-1 as Paine Shows He Is the Captain Australia Needed

Nathan Lyon may well have won the Man of the Match today in the 2nd Test between Australia and India, after Australia was clinical in finished off the tail to complete a 146 run victory, and no one can deny that he deserved it. On a wicket where India chose to go in with four fast bowlers, Lyon turned out to be the key bowler of the match. Kohli’s first innings batting was superb, as was Marcus Harris. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah were unplayable at times. All were very good. But for me the officials missed a trick, because the man who had the most influence on this result was the one who refused to take a backward step, either with the bat or behind the stumps or on the field of play. And it is a game that will be remembered as the match that Tim Paine was finally recognised as the leader Australia has needed. 

India was always up against it on the final morning on a pitch that had allowed very few easy runs. Both Vihari and Pant had to make an early statement if they were to challenge the 177 runs they needed for victory, and instead the Australians went hard at throat and did the job effectively. Mitchell Starc, having been under prepared in Adelaide, showed he was back on song in this fourth innings, bowling swiftly last evening and especially this morning, regularly bowling over 150kph and giving the batsmen nothing. He soon found a way to have Vihari popping up to mid wicket for the first wicket of the day. Pant tried to break out but was stuck between modes of flight. The end came quickly with the final four wickets falling in 15 deliveries, the wickets again being shared around amongst all four Australian bowlers. It was Australia’s first Test victory from their past seven Tests stretching back to March and South Africa, and this victory felt a lot more convivial and earned than that one. 

It should not be under estimated just how influential Tim Paine was during this match, nor how much he has influenced Australia’s Test fortunes since South Africa. It is easy to forget he was about to retire form cricket eighteen months ago to take up a position with a cricket firm, and only an out-of-the-blue call up the Australia’s T20 team halted that progression. His return to the Test team has been met with a clean pair of gloves behind the stumps with an elegance reminiscent of Ian Healy. He was exceptional on the spinning tracks in the UAE and has continued that back in Australia, once again excellent up to the stumps and leaping all over the place against his pace trio at the back. His batting has been terrific, especially so in helping to save the 1st Test against Pakistan, while his leadership and captaincy has improved every game. 

The 2nd Test was his in the making. His keeping led the way, with four catches in the first innings including an absolute ripper to dismiss Rahane in the first innings off Lyon, and two more in the second innings for six for the match. With the bat he scored 38 runs in the first innings and 37 runs in the second innings. On raw figures it doesn’t look special. But look harder. Everyone is looking for the next Adam Gilchrist, but that is like searching for the next Shane Warne or Glenn McGrath. In the history of Test cricket, only two Australian wicket-keepers have averaged over 30 with the bat – Adam Gilchrist (47.60) and Brad Haddin (33.00). That’s two. So even in this modern age, a wicket-keeper who does the best work behind the stumps and can contribute with the bat is a gold mine. As of today, Tim Paine averages 36.91 in Test cricket with five half-centuries. That is a record that more than supports his selection and credentials. Paine is proving to be the perfect keeper-batsman and has proven his toughness and tenacity twice in this match batting with the tail to maximise the runs totalled by the team. They are two innings that, taken in the context of the match, are match winning innings. Tick both boxes there. 

Having taken over the captaincy in South Africa, Paine has been under the pressure of an entire nation to lead our team out of the darkness and not only reestablish its credentials as one of the leading cricket nations in the world, but to do so without the negativity that surrounded the team in recent years. It was a tough ask, especially having lost half of his top order to subsequent suspensions. The team has wavered between good fight and lack of experience when it came to decisions at the crease and in the field, but improvement has come slowly but surely. Now they just needed to find a way to be positive in their approach in the one area that Australia is always seen negatively. This is what the skipper achieved in this match. 

Paine’s talk through the match showed a level of leadership that shows that he and his team are now confident to go in a hard but positive direction. His battle with Kohli in particular was fascinating, and this verbal battle that carried throughout the match was what lifted his leadership to the next level. He didn’t use bad language, he didn’t get frustrated or angry, he didn’t get personal. He gave as good as got, and in the long run he came out as the winner on the scoreboard and possibly in the verbal stoush. When Kohli told Paine “I’m the best batsman in the world and you’re just a fill-in captain”, Paine was restrained. When Kohli suggested “If he gets out here, he knows the Test is over”, Paine replied “you have to bat again, fathead”. Kohli’s pointed exaggerated laugh at Paine’s dismissal to a brute of a delivery in the second innings brought no response from Paine but was surely stored in his mind. On Kohli’s dismissal late on day four there was plenty of celebration from the Aussies, but nothing directed at the batsman himself, just lots of talk in the group to each other, but surely none of it was missed by Kohli himself. Then as Vijay lined up for the next over Paine was heard to ask him “I know he’s your captain, but you can’t seriously like him as a bloke”. After listening to Pant’s constant conversation over two Tests and seeing and hearing the way Kohli goes about his work, seeing and hearing Tim Paine taking on the Indians in this way was just superb. Nothing malicious, nothing personal, just wonderful banter. Kohli’s demeanour had gone full circle by match end, showing his disappointment at being bettered in this match by hurriedly moving on from the captain’s handshake at the end. This as much as anything showed that Paine had certainly won this battle, and in a way that no one can complain about. Kohli may have suggested he is only a fill-in captain, but that most certainly no longer applies. He’s the real deal, and ready to attempt his first series victory following his first Test victory. 

Melbourne is set up for another classic battle. Having nominated the same squad, the only change Australia will contemplate is bringing in Mitch Marsh for Peter Handscomb, a move that doesn’t feel like it will do anything to improve the team. Handscomb may still have a chance to redeem himself on his home ground. India will be sweating on the fitness of Ravi Ashwin, and will no doubt rectify the error of not taking a spinner into their XI no matter what. Apart from that and the possible re-inclusion of Rohit Sharma there appears little change will occur in the Indian team either. Given how well contested the first two Test have been, perhaps this is the right way to go. At 1-1 in the series, it will be the most exciting and well contested Boxing Day Test in some years, and one that should once again draw massive attention around the world.