Australia v India, 2nd Test, 2014

India 408 and 1 for 71 trail Australia 505 (Smith 133, Johnson 88) by 26 runs

Steven Smith became the tenth Australian to score a
Test hundred on captaincy debut© Getty Images

In the usual round of pre-series predictions, many expected Steven Smith to be a dominant batting force against India, and some were bold enough to reckon he would be captain before the four Tests were through. But none had prophesied that it would take Mitchell Johnson until the series' eighth day to make a significant impact on events, nor that he would be doing so with the bat.

Smith's 133 was emblematic of his growth as both a batsman and leader: not since Greg Chappell against West Indies on this ground in 1975 had a first-time Australian Test captain marked the occasion with a hundred in his first innings. Johnson's boldest of counterattacks showed how dangerous he can be as a batsman, but also that it may have been wiser for India not to antagonise him when he walked to the wicket with Australia in some trouble at 6 for 247.

Their partnership of 148 in a mere 26 overs changed the course of the match, also clearing a path for Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood to prolong Australia's first innings until after tea. The final four wickets contributed more runs than the first six, opening up a lead of 97. India were bereft of ideas for stemming the flow, and when they finally batted Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara survived some searching spells in the evening session to go to stumps at 1 for 71.

A century in his first Test as captain underlined Smith's quality as a leader, his sixth hundred in 13 matches since notching No. 1 against England at The Oval in August 2013 sustaining Australia's innings. But Smith had needed help: the Australians were teetering when Johnson joined his captain. Indian attempts to get into the fast bowler's head with short balls and verbals appeared only to spur Johnson into a starburst of strokes, and he looked bound for a second century until snicking Ishant Sharma behind.

Like Rohit Sharma, Australian all-rounder Shane Watson also seems to be travelling in the same sinking boat as of now. Both have been getting starts and getting out, and that too to frustratingly soft dismissals. Unlike Rohit, who is a part-time bowler, Watson has an additional talent that of a medium pacer, who can chip in with wickets. But, considering his injury woes, Watson cannot be given a long enough bowl else he might end straining some part of his injured body. He did get Rohit out in the first innings, but that was more to do with a poor stroke than a good delivery. Considering his limitations with the ball, it is all the more pertinent that he delivers with the bat. 

Ishant and Varun Aaron had bowled morning spells that were respectively precise and hostile. Ishant deceived Mitchell Marsh with a break-back after the hamstrung allrounder shouldered arms, and Aaron pinned Brad Haddin with a bouncer that delivered a catch to short leg.