India destroyer O’Keefe hailed as ‘superhero’

SYDNEY: Steve O’Keefe gave a superhero performance in Australia’s stunning three-day first Test win to change the landscape of their series in India, Australia’s media said on Sunday.

Left-arm spinner O’Keefe, known as SOK, captured the identical figures of six for 35 in both innings to spin Australia to a massive 333-run win over Test cricket’s top-ranked team on a viciously turning track in Pune on Saturday.

It was Australia’s first Test win in India since 2004 and ended the hosts’ unbeaten streak of 19 Tests in the opening match of the four-Test series.

O’Keefe was hailed a hero along with skipper Steve Smith’s fighting first century in India and his 10th as Australia’s captain.

“Steve O’Keefe led Australia to one of its greatest Test victories on Indian soil with a superhero performance that rewrote the record books and humiliated the shellshocked hosts inside three days,” the Sun-Herald said.

“Australia will head to Bangalore for the second Test with genuine belief they can pull off what only a few days ago seemed like mission impossible and win just their second series on these shores since 1969.”