"It Was Mayhem": Ex-Australia Star's Damning Analysis Of Indore Pitch For Third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test

Former Australia opener Mark Waugh was extremely critical of the pitch in Indore after 14 wickets fell on Day 1 of the third Test encounter between India and Australia on Wednesday. The pitch produced uneven bounce for the players and most of the batters were stunned by the amount of spin on offer for the Aussie bowlers. India were bundled out for just 109 and in response, Australia started well but ended up losing four wickets before the end of day's play. "It was mayhem. The pitch was not up to test standard, I think that's a fair thing to say," Mark Waugh told Fox Sports after the day ended.

"Balls going through the top (layer) in the first 20 minutes of a Test match, that's not good enough."

Waugh also pointed out that the Australia batters did not attempt to play the sweep shot after several experts blamed them for over-relying on the shot in their bid to counter the Indian spinners.

"They've played very straight; they've hardly played a sweep shot. Good, smart batting! they've probably learnt some lessons from those first two Test matches," Waugh explained.

Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann's five-wicket haul and a 60 by Usman Khawaja helped Australia grab the early advantage after they dismissed India for 109 on Wednesday's opening day of the third Test.

The tourists were 156-4 at stumps, leading India by 47 runs on a viciously turning pitch in Indore, as they look to fight back from two bruising defeats in the series.

Peter Handscomb, on seven, and Cameron Green, on six, were batting at close of play, spinner Ravindra Jadeja having taken all four Australian wickets.

The left-handed Khawaja stood out with his 21st Test half-century and a 96-run second-wicket stand with Marnus Labuschagne.

"I executed my plans, tried to