The Indians may have done exceptionally well to reduce Australia to 337
for nine in the opening cricket Test but Matthew Hayden reckons the visitors
will also find the going tough on a pitch that will "definitely get difficult
to bat on over the next few days".
Hayden stood out among the Aussie batsmen to score a dominating 124 and gave
a healthy start to his team by putting on a 135-run opening stand with Phil
Jaques. But the hosts could not capitalise on the solid foundation on the
first day.
"I think we've lost a few too many wickets, there's no
doubt about that, but in my mind it was a difficult enough wicket and those
conditions will be revealed over the next four days," Hayden said after
the opening day's play.
"The fact is we are facing quite a difficult wicket. It's
definitely a par effort (Australia's score), but maybe one or two more wickets
down.
"I think it is going to be a wicket that will be definitely hard to score
on over the next few days," he said.
Hayden said with the wicket getting slower, Australia would
make life difficult for the visiting batsmen.
"They are going to be slow conditions, they are going to be challenging
for run-scoring and I think you will see Australia putting the pressure with
good in-out fields and really try to constrict India", he said.
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