Decried as a conservative selection by Shane Warne, Steve O'Keefe has produced an astonishing six-wicket haul in Pune that put even the legendary legspinner in the shade.
O'Keefe is not a big turner of the ball but his subtlety may prove the catalyst of Australia's first Test win in India since 2004 - and potentially their second series win in India since 1970.
The left-arm spinner bamboozled India in record-breaking fashion on Friday, grabbing 6-5 in the space of 24 balls including three wickets in a single over.
India's collapse of 7-11 amid the chaos was their worst seven-wicket collapse in the history of the sport.
O'Keefe, who feared his international career was over after returning from Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury, speculated this tour could be career defining and after just 13.1 overs it's already that.
The 32-year-old's figures of 6-35 are better than Warne's best haul from nine Tests in India, the 6-125 he achieved in Chennai during Australia's breakthrough series win in 2004.
Warne, speaking on Star Sports on Friday morning, questioned why selectors didn't pick Mitchell Swepson or Ashton Agar ahead of O'Keefe.
"O'Keefe is the safe option because you know he's not going to bowl much rubbish," Warne said.
"You don't see him as a huge danger with big-turning deliveries. He bowls tight.
"In these conditions, guys like Swepson and Agar could have been more of a danger option."
Warne, speaking during Friday's tea break, added that O'Keefe "wasn't bowling that well early."
"The change of ends worked, he found his mojo and away he went," Warne said.
"In his wildest dreams I don't think he imagined it could have gone that well, none of us did, but well done to him."
It isn't the first time Warne has questioned O'Keefe's place in the team.
"To me he is more of a white-ball bowler," Warne said after O'Keefe was added to the squad for last month's SCG Test.
O'Keefe's golden run in Pune started when KL Rahul, who scored 64 runs in India's total of 105, was caught in the deep by David Warner.
Ravindra Jadeja also went down swinging, while Matthew Wade completed a sharp stumping to dismiss Jayant Yadav.
O'Keefe's other three victims - Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and Umesh Yadav - were all caught in the slips.
"This is a pretty defining moment in my career, isn't it?" O'Keefe said earlier this week.
Share
