IND vs AUS 1st ODI: Hardik Pandya’s career best effort wasn’t good enough to make up for a forgettable bowling effort when India fell to a 66-run loss to Australia in the first ODI, making a rather unimpressive start to the tour, here the Friday.
Virat Kohli’s men started on exactly a note they wouldn’t have liked, giving away 374 runs in 50 overs with rival captain Aaron Finch (114 of 124 balls) and his illustrious predecessor Steve Smith (105 of 66 balls) hitting contrasting hundreds.
A pitch that seemed tame during the first half suddenly came to life in the second when Josh Hazlewood (3/55) bounced off the Indian higher order, including Kohli and a scared Shreyas Iyer, who got into trouble.
Pandya’s 90 of 76 balls and a 128-run position with starter Shikhar Dhawan (74 of 86 balls) delayed the inevitable, but it was always a make-up game after the team dropped to 101 for 4 within 14 overs. .
Adam Zampa (4/54 in 10 overs), with great heart, fired Dhawan and Pandya in quick succession as India surrendered to the scoring pressure finishing at 308/8 after 50 overs.
Pandya, who hit seven fours and four sixes, carried his fiery IPL batting form into the first game of the series, but it was his fast-medium bowling that Kohli missed that day, lacking options when Smith sent his regular bowlers in a hide. -hunt.
India missed out on a sixth bowling option with none of their specialized hitters good enough to roll their arms for even two or three overs.
It was a day when the bowling unit that excluded Mohammed Shami (3/59 in 10 overs) failed badly and poor fielding only added to their problems.
Up to three assistants withdrew and numerous careless efforts in the field added to the misery.
The normally steady Yuzvendra Chahal (1/89 in 10 overs) earned himself the ignominy of the worst figures of an Indian spinner and the miserable ODI form of Jasprit Bumrah (1/73 in 10 overs) continued.
India’s fastest bowler, Navdeep Saini (1/83 in 10 overs), also struggled like any newcomer, unable to reach the correct length on the Australian slopes.
Ravindra Jadeja (0/63 in 10 overs) was not as expensive as Chahal but since the last two and a half months, his bowling has not had a sting.
India’s perennial nemesis Smith looks set to torment them badly in the next two months if his 11 fours and four sixes were any indication on Friday.
Not once did he feel concerned about the Indian bowlers, who were already under the bomb after an opening 156-run battle between Finch and David Warner (69).
Much credit is owed to Warner and Finch for the way they attacked Chahal.
As Finch used his feet to stifle the spin and play against the spin, Warner stayed behind in the crease to hit Chahal with the spin, altering his line and length entirely.
It helped as Smith and Maxwell (45 of 19 balls) had no trouble skinning pitchers during the final 10 overs.
While chasing, Mitchell Starc’s first rebel over that 20-run cost gave India much-needed impetus from the start, but Hazlewood’s splendid short bowling pin ended Mayank Agarwal (22 on 18 balls), Kohli (21 on 21 balls) putting visitors out of order in no time.
Vice Captain KL Rahul (12) was unable to contain an innocuous full pitch from Zampa and India was in deep trouble even before 15 overs ended.
A high percentage of point balls (148) in the Indian innings also showed how only one team dominated the process.
FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS here:
17:49: Steven Smith is the man of the match
“I’ve been looking for something for a couple of months and sadly, I couldn’t find it. But a couple of days ago I started hitting the ball where I wanted to, and everything came back, the rhythm returned. Finchy and Davey set up a great platform, we could come and take off. I didn’t think too much out there, I just saw the ball and hit it. That’s probably when I hit the best I can. I took a few more risks than I normally would, targeted a few bowlers, and luckily it came out today. I thought it was a bit high (in the lbw reference) and luckily it was. Sometimes you need a bit of luck, it’s good to drive it today and score some for the team ”.
17:38: Starc to Mohammed Shami, OUT
17:14: After 41 overs, 253/6
Maxwell makes a quick change and gives only three, as India needs 122 on 54 balls.
4:50 PM: Stoinis is injured, Cricket Australia updates him
CA statement on Stoinis: “Stoinis has what appears to be a minor groin strain and is not expected to return tonight. Caution at this stage. It will be monitored overnight. “
Marcus Stoinis left the field during his seventh over with pain on his left side. Fingers crossed nothing too serious for off-road #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/KC8QeLBSgA
– cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 27, 2020
16:44: Zampa Dhawan, OUT
