India vs Australia 1st Test: Rohit Sharma's first class show!

Rohit Sharma celebrates his century against Australia yesterday. Pic/PTI

On another fascinating day of Test cricket marked by several glittering individual displays, one man stood out. Debutant off-spinner Todd Murphy showcased his off-spinning wares with a deserved five-for, and left-arm-spinning all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel reiterated the depth of India's batting with unbeaten half-centuries.

Laudable as these efforts were, it was Rohit Sharma who lorded the stage with one of his finest Test knocks. In dicey if hardly unplayable batting conditions at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Rohit batted with authority and poise, thwarting the most demanding challenges Australia and the situation presented
with an innings of subliminal brilliance.

Hosts in driver's seat

Rohit's first Test hundred as skipper, and his ninth overall, was the cornerstone around which India mounted their strong reply to Australia's sub-par 177. Resuming Friday's second morning of the first Test at 77 for one, India finished on 321 for seven, 144 ahead and well placed to drive home the advantage on what is traditionally considered the moving day of any Test.

For more than five and three-quarter hours, Rohit created a zone for himself where nothing else mattered - not the quality of the opposition bowling, not the occasional blobs of dust flying off the surface. There was a single-minded purpose to his approach, though it was anything, but circumspect and defensive. When the ball was there to be put away, he did so with characteristic nonchalance. And when Murphy in particular and, to a lesser extent, Nathan Lyon demanded respect, he gave that in ample measure without ever ceding the initiative or the momentum.

Also Read: India vs Australia, 1st Test: Need more from top four!

Jadeja stands tall

Rohit's first ally on Friday was R Ashwin, promoted ostensibly to No. 3 as nightwatchman, but holding his own well past the hour mark. Neither his dismissal, nor the cheap falls of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, all to Murphy, disturbed Rohit's concentration as he treated the sparse crowd to a delightful exhibition of innings-construction. It wasn't until Jadeja arrived, fresh off his five-wicket haul, that Rohit finally found another steady partner, and their stand of 61 dragged India into the lead.

A matter-of-fact acknowledgement of the cheers for his first ton against Australia suggested Rohit felt the job was hardly done, and it needed a special delivery from Pat Cummins in the first over with the second new ball to finally end his masterclass. One ball after being put down by Steven Smith at second slip, Rohit was squared up by a ball that shaped away after threatening to swing in, and lost his off-stump. He walked off to a rousing ovation, then watched from the dressing-room as Jadeja and Axar relentlessly drove India further forward with an unbroken 81-run stand for the eighth wicket.

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Rohit Sharma becomes the first Indian captain and fourth overall to score tons in all three formats

Brief scores
Australia 177 v India 321-7 (R Sharma 120, R Jadeja 66', A Patel 52'; T Murphy 5-82)