And Khawaja became the first Australian to pass 50 twice on tour. Unfortunately, Khawaja added to the number of Australian dismissals this series to the sweep when he was caught on the boundary for 60.

Still, it was almost three times as many as any of India’s batsmen managed and should be the foundation for a competitive Test, although anything can happen with the mystique of India. Remember the 8-28 Australia lost in Delhi when the headless chooks were let loose.

While the first two Tests lasted three days, this one threatened to last only two until Khawaja and Labuschagne went to work. It meant just 14 wickets fell on day one, which should push this match into a third.

It’s like India have decided that five days is too long for a Test in the age of Twenty20 cricket and short attention spans. If they can squeeze Tests into three days by doctoring up their pitches and making every ball a potential wicket-taking event, there will be more room to expand the IPL. Why stop at 12 weeks?

Twenty20 is where the money is and Australia’s on board, with the players preparing for their first Test tour of India in six years by playing in the Big Bash.

The Gabba Test against South Africa during December lasted inside two exciting and frantic days, producing a spine-tingling shootout by two of the best fast bowling attacks in the world.

Gabba curator David Sandurski was apologetic after the Test.

“The scorecards are there. You can’t deny it. It is obviously not good enough for a match of this magnitude. No one wants to have a two-day Test,” he told News Corp.

“All the signs in the preparation pointed towards it being a reasonable wicket. But having said that, I have been around for a long time and I have to be better than that as well. I have to own that.”

There will be no such regrets from India, who are completely shameless when it comes to pitch doctoring. This is a contrast to England, who are entirely sanctimonious, leaving hoses on or off depending on whether seam or spin is the strength of their attack.

The only policing of such shenanigans is ICC match referees rating pitches, with the hollow threat of venues losing Tests if their strips are regularly poor. The Gabba pitch was rated below average.

However, there is no consistency. The Nagpur and Delhi pitches were, quite remarkably, rated “average” by match referee Andy Pycroft.

He has been replaced by no the nonsense Chris Broad, who was match referee when Nathan Lyon made his debut in Galle during 2011. Lyon claimed first innings figures of 5-34 on an overcooked pitch later rated poor by Broad.

It will be interesting to see how he rates this Indore pitch.

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