"Stood true to what they are good at" - Dinesh Karthik on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's bowling exploits in 1st IND vs AUS Test

Veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik recently lauded Team India's spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for their commendable performances in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur.

He stressed that the two were successful in doing what they are known for. Karthik pointed out how Jadeja troubled the right-handed batters, while Ashwin made it incredibly difficult for the left-handers.

Karthik made these comments during a discussion on Cricbuzz after India beat Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test on Saturday, February 11.

"What was really good to see was that both (Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja) of them stood true to what they are good at," he said. "Jadeja cleaning up the right-handers in the first innings and causing a lot of trouble for the left-handers in the second innings."

While Ashwin bagged eight wickets in the contest, Jadeja finished with seven scalps. The two were instrumental in Rohit Sharma and Co. wrapping up the first Test within three days to go 1-0 up in the four-match series.

Speaking about the performances of Indian bowlers, Karthik also emphasized that pacers Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami also played a major role.

"Mohammed Shami bowled brilliantly to finish the tail, he added. "Also, let's not forget what happened at the start of the first day when Mohammed Siraj bowled a beautiful spell upfront, and that set the tone I felt. Getting a wicket in the second over is always great in a Test series coming in."

A splendid five-wicket haul in the second innings from @ashwinravi99 inspires #TeamIndia to a comprehensive victory in the first #INDvAUS Test 🙌🏻

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/INDvAUS-2023-1……

#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia https://t.co/wvecdm80k1

Both Shami and Siraj provided India with an ideal start on Day 1, sending Australian openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja back to the hut early. While Siraj bowled just a single over in the second innings, Shami picked up two wickets as the visitors were bundled out for a paltry score of 91.

"We should stand up and applaud how well the batters applied themselves" - Dinesh Karthik on India scoring 400 runs in first Test

Dinesh Karthik further stated that while the Indian bowlers did a fantastic job in the opening encounter of the Test series, the batting unit also played a vital role in winning the contest comfortably.

The 37-year-old highlighted how Rohit Sharma's 120-run knock was extremely crucial. He suggested that the half-centuries of Axar Patel (84) and Ravindra Jadeja (70) later in the innings hurt Australia mentally.

"Credit to the Indian bowlers," Karthik elaborated. "Great bowling by the spin twins, but most importantly, we should stand up and applaud how well the batters applied themselves.

"Rohit Sharma at the start, Ravindra Jadeja in the middle, and then Axar Patel showing his class with the bat. Axar made sure to take it to the part where the Australians get hurt mentally more than anything else."

An all-round match-winning performance to mark a memorable return! 🙌🏻

@imjadeja becomes the Player of the Match as #TeamIndia win by an innings & 132 runs 👏🏻

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/INDvAUS-2023-1……

#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia https://t.co/VBGfjqB4dZ

The battle for one-upmanship between the two cricketing giants resumes on Friday, February 17. The second Test of the series will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.