Indian cricket journalists have been taken by the outpouring of concern from Australian media after the first Test rout in Perth.

Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

And one has tossed up a forgotten saviour.

“Nothing that a grand win in Adelaide can’t set right, but right now, it’s chaos and mud-slinging time in Australia,” wrote Sriram Veera in the Indian Express, noting the torrent of analysis and criticism that followed a 295-run defeat and 0-1 series deficit.

“To come from India and see this has been a tad amusing. Such was the understandable fuss about the Indian team’s state of affairs during the historic home series defeat to New Zealand that much of the other side, Down Under, was forgotten a touch.

“It’s the batting that remains a worry. And though much of the fuss revolves around Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, the opener [Nathan] McSweeney, it will perhaps come down to Usman Khawaja to lift the team. Ever since he made his comeback a few years back, he has been rock solid and churning out big knocks rather regularly. He would play a tired swivel pull in the second innings as if to suggest he had already mentally checked out of that contest by then. But he has faced and negated the likes of [Jasprit] Bumrah before with panache; if he can do it again, the batting can start to look a lot better.”

READ MORE

The unknown Aussie stars of the future getting golden shot vs India in PM’s XI clash

‘Get him in’: All-rounder into Aus squad as cover for sore star… but great wants him playing anyway

Ponting saddened by ‘shameful’ downfall of ‘next Tendulkar’ — Indian View

‘You’ve got three Tests’: Marnus’ malaise is hurting. Worse, nobody deserves his spot

Meanwhile, the Indian media has a dose of Beau Webster fever, dazzled by the fact that Australia’s new Test squad call-up matched a record held by iconic cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers.

Boasting something of a cult following among cricket fans, Webster was added to the Australian mix for the second Test in Adelaide, where the home side will hope to level the Border-Gavaskar series after a heavy defeat in Perth.

Though Webster is at long odds to play, notwithstanding the backing of Aussie great Ian Healy, Indian media outlets have taken note of the feats that saw him elevated.

“The 30-year-old Webster has emerged as one of Australia’s most promising cricketers and is on the cusp of a Test debut. Webster’s inclusion in the squad is a testament to his remarkable form and versatility in domestic cricket,” said a report titled ‘Who is Beau Webster? All-rounder who had equalled Sobers’ record’ in The Times of India, noting that the all-rounder could bowl both seamers and off-spin.

“Last summer, Webster etched his name in Sheffield Shield’s 132-year history by becoming only the second player, after West Indian legend Sir Garry Sobers, to achieve the extraordinary feat of scoring over 900 runs and taking 30 wickets in a single season. This milestone is particularly significant, as Sobers is widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders.”

The Hindustan Times said that Webster was banging on the door for a Test debut after two excellent years with bat and ball.

“Beau Webster took a giant step towards realising his dream of playing Test cricket for Australia after the uncapped all-rounder was, on Thursday, added to Australia’s squad for next week’s second Test against India in Adelaide as cover for Mitchell Marsh. The 30-year-old is on standby after Marsh pulled up sore following their 295-run thrashing by the visitors in the first Test at Perth on Monday,” a report read.

“Webster hails from Tasmania and has been one of the star performers in the Sheffield Shield over the past two years, collecting 1788 runs, including five hundreds and nine fifties. He is also a right-arm pacer like Marsh. He starred in Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales earlier this week, striking a 61 and 49 besides taking five wickets.”

The Deccan Herald noted that Webster also had form against Indian opposition.

“The 31-year-old has already amassed 448 runs at an average of 56 this season besides claiming 16 wickets with his medium pacers. The Tasmanian also did well against India A prior to the Test series with scores of 61 n.o. and 46 n.o. and seven wickets across two matches, including a 6/58 haul for the match in the second, in Australia A’s 2-0 series win,” wrote Madhu Jawali.

The Indian press have also been taken by an interaction between megastar batter Virat Kohli and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. A Hindustan Times report was titled: Virat Kohli’s Perth century lives rent-free in Australian Prime Minister’s head.

“The stories of Kohli’s Perth epic are spreading like wildfire, reaching all the way to the Prime Minister’s office in Canberra. As the Indian team landed in the capital to play a three-day pink-ball Day-Night Test, the players met Anthony Albanese. However, as captain Rohit Sharma introduced his players one by one, starting with Jasprit Bumrah, Albanese had a special chat with Kohli, overshadowing the rest of the players present, including Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja,” the report said, before relaying their brief conversation.

PM Albanese: “Good time in Perth. Bloody hell, as if we weren’t suffering enough at that point, that was just…”

Virat Kohli: “We’ve always got to add our own spice to it.”

PM Albanese: “Well… Indian, you know.”