The day didn’t begin well for Team India on the first morning of the Adelaide Test as David Warner went on the offensive. The Australian opener was in a murderous mood as he blazed 145 runs away from 163 balls. He looked set for a double ton and Australia for a mammoth total. That’s when India’s debutant leg-spinner, Karn Sharma, struck to get the big fish out.
Warner attempted to fetch the first six of his innings by walking down the track to Karn, only to find Ishant Sharma at deep midwicket. It was a special moment for the 27-year-old bowler, as he registered his maiden Test wicket.
At the end of the day, Karn said he was happy he could break the all-important partnership that threatened to take the game away from India on the very first day. “I am happy with my performance – I broke a crucial partnership – and I want to continue that.”
Karn became the 283rd player to represent India in Test cricket when he received his cap from MS Dhoni in the morning. He said he knew his chance would come soon but not that it would come in the first Test itself.
“I got to know in the morning that I would be playing. I was confident that sooner or later I would get a chance to play but to get it in the first Test of the series was very special.”
The wicket at the Adelaide Oval was brilliant for batting on day one and it is expected to remain like that on the second day as well. But Karn hoped there would be something more in it for the spinners as the Test progresses.
“The pitch is very good for batting. The ball is turning and there is not much bounce. On the third and fourth day the spinners will get good purchase,” he said.
The leggie said the next step for them would be to take the remaining four wickets quickly. “We are very happy to get those three wickets in the end and we will look to continue in that vein tomorrow morning. If we get two-three early wickets, we will be back in the game.”
By: BCCI
