Pune: Game breaker Steve O'Keefe has paid tribute to Cricket Australia's spin guru for sparking the change that enabled the left-armer to produce a potentially match-winning spell in the first Test.
The name Sridharan Sriram may not mean much to Australian cricket fans, but he played a key role behind the scenes on Friday for O'Keefe.
Sriram was no star, managing only eight one-day internationals for India, but CA are tapping into the knowledge he gained from his 18-year first-class career to help them unlock the secrets of thriving on the subcontinent.
Sriram, a left-handed all-rounder who averaged 53 with the bat and claimed 85 wickets at 46 with his left-arm spin, joined forces with Australia during their pre-tour camp in Dubai.
He was also part of the coaching team during the ill-fated campaign in Sri Lanka. The partnership, however, is starting to bear fruit on the toughest tour of them all.
Unhappy with his display in the first session on Friday, in which he made little impact, O'Keefe was given a crash course on bowling in India by Sriram out on the ground during the lunch break. The spinner was also given a bake behind closed doors by coach Darren Lehmann – and publicly by Shane Warne.
O'Keefe responded in the style, claiming six wickets in 24 balls to destroy India's first innings. O'Keefe said he had returned to his "comfort zone" – the way he bowls at home – before lunch, but after the break adjusted his approach for the different conditions.
"I was going a bit over the top, when I tried to bowl quick it was too full, it was ordinary bowling the first six overs," O'Keefe said.
"I'd been working in the nets on other variations, just changing the seam angle and arm angle. You probably don't notice it but for me it made all the difference.
"Sri's like 'let's go out and bowl it and if you feel comfortable with it, let's start up with it in the next innings'. It worked out this time."
CA also hired former England spinner Monty Panesar while preparing at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, but O'Keefe said Sriram had been his "biggest influence".
"He gets it, he understands how to bowl in these conditions, he understands what the batters are thinking," O'Keefe said.
O'Keefe said during the week this would be a career-defining tour for him.
"The one thing is you have to be comfortable in your own skin. I know what I can do, I know what I've got, and how to go about using what I've got," O'Keefe said.
"The important thing is I've been brilliantly backed up by Steve Smith. When you play under a captain who shows faith in you it's amazing what can happen.
"And I've got a good coach who tapped me on the head between sessions, and he's not afraid to tell it to you straight and tell it to your face, which is excellent.
"I think Sri is an excellent spin bowling coach. I've worked with him a couple of times now and he's really impressive."
The 32-year-old thought he had "messed up" his chance in Sri Lanka when he was injured but he has made the most of his chance on Pune's spin haven, vindicating CA's move to withdraw him from the BIg Bash to focus on this tour.
"I thought the India tour was there but it almost felt unreachable," O'Keefe said.
"It's a big tournament for us as a team and group. It means a lot to do well, but we're day three into a four-Test series – we're certainly not getting ahead of ourselves just yet.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet. I think it will if that contributes to a win. Right now we'll enjoy it. We had a good day, but that's all it is.
"We know how good this Indian team is, we know how well they can bat – even in spinning conditions they're exceptional players.
"We've got our work cut out for us. We're 300 ahead, let's get more, create 10 chances and hold on to them."
