Anil Kumble backs the team after a poor day's cricket

Indian head coach Anil Kumble came to his team’s rescue after the hosts were bowled out for 105 by the Australian side during the second day of the 1st Test match at the MCA stadium in Pune.

Steven O’Keffe scalped figures of 6/35 as India lost their last seven wickets for just 11 runs. Kumble said the side is bound to have one bad day. The Indian team is currently maintaining a 19-Test match unbeaten streak.

“Like you said, you are bound to have one bad day. It was disappointing. We were in a pretty decent position when (KL) Rahul and Ajinkya (Rahane) were batting out there. But once Rahul got out, we lost those four wickets in five or six balls. That certainly pushed us back. It was one of those things with a couple of soft dismissals,” said Kumble.

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O’Keefe, playing his first game in India, bagged six wickets for just 5 runs in 24 balls to strike a major collapse. “And this pitch was certainly challenging, so we needed a lot more restraint and showed that if you put your head down, you could make those runs. It was unfortunate that once Rahul got out, we seemed to lose the bearing at that point of time, Kumble explained.

“Once Rahul and Ajinkya had that partnership of 50, that’s when we could have consolidated and probably got closer to the target or probably even got a lead. But once we lost that wicket, the lower order has performed brilliantly over the last year or so, just had a poor day. I still feel there’s a lot of cricket to be played in this Test match. Tomorrow is another day” he added.

Opener KL Rahul was the lone bright spot in what turned out to be a dull day for the Indian team. Rahul made 64 runs, with 10 boundaries and a six. Mitchell Starc too bowled well, and picked up 2 wickets for 38 runs. Australia ended the day on 143/4, with captain Steve Smith remaining unbeaten on 59 and all-rounder Mitch Marsh not out on 21. The visitors have a lead of 298 runs.