AUSTRALIA INDIA TOUR 2020-21
The duo were undefeated with 150 runs while India scored 110 in the final 10 overs © Getty
Hardik Pandya’s enterprising 92 * and Ravindra Jadeja’s dynamic 66 * amid India’s highest position in sixth spot against Australia out of 150 gave India a fight total after a stumble in the middle. Having played the supporting role for most of the innings, Jadeja delivered a surprise towards the end as the pair accelerated in the last five to get up to 76 with shots on either side of the wicket, punching the gaps at will and finishing with 302. in his 50 overs.
It was their brilliant position that flipped the innings and gave India the momentum before the break after Australia had done well to hold them back to 192 of 5 after 40 overs. The pair made the most of the absence of Australia’s death bowling specialists Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins as races flowed freely on stage. Pandya broke seven fours and one six, while Jadeja had five fours and three sixes in her match-altering position.
In a wicket belter at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday (December 2), India won the toss for the first time in the series and opted to hit. Australian bowlers hit the money early on despite losing their mainstays at Starc and Cummins. While Starc got lost with some complaints, Cummins rested, giving Sean Abbott and Ashton Agar a chance, who were among the top wickets to give Australia the lead.
Abbott carried forward his domestic season form to international play with a wicket in his first over. He threw in good areas and made Dhawan advance from the start to finish jumping straight for cover. Hazlewood cast four on her first spell, tossing a maiden, but couldn’t rip a wicket. Kohli and Shubman Gill revived the India innings with a solid 56-race position as the youngster appreciated why he is so highly rated. He moved, drove and used his wrists well. Once the spinning wheels began to operate, they tied him up a bit before his leg dropped before Hagar, trying to sweep him away, unable to convert his output.
Shreyas Iyer joined Kohli, given the leeway to attack when the captain chose to play anchor. In the process, Kohli climbed the milestone of becoming the fastest hitter in ODI to reach 12,000 runs. Iyer’s fondness against spin was evident when he started, but he wasted it after cutting straight back. India lost ground just when it seemed they were building a society. KL Rahul fell shortly after rewarding Agar for tight bowling, he stuck to his lines, bowling back and forth and the batter’s premeditated sweep had caught him in the leg earlier, a similar firing to Gill.
There was pace and rebound with a slight twist for Zampa and Agar, who tightened the rope in those middle overs, making the Indian hitters work hard for their careers and forcing them to make mistakes. Kohli, however, was unfazed by showing how to play with the spinners at the gate, rushing forward to tackle them. Hazlewood, however, continued to have the wood on Kohli in this One-Day International series by firing him for the third time in three games while falling in love with a well-compiled 63.
It was a stroke of brilliance from Aaron Finch that propelled Australia into control with the skipper reviewing a half-caught appeal trapped behind Kohli. There was no appeal from the pitcher, but Finch reviewed it; Although HotSpot showed nothing, a spike in snicko meant Kohli had to make the long way back.
Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja thereafter staged a counterattack for which Australia had no response. They were India’s last hitting pair and made the most of the opportunity to spend some time in between. Hardik took on the responsibility of giving India a total fight. Although India was well below what they would have wanted after opting to hit, Hardik found the gaps, kept the score going, cleared the fence, saved the bad balls while stretching his good form in the series with a very useful 92 off. 76. Jadeja played the second violin until charging towards the end, getting half a century in the process. Abbott, who got off to a good start, was tied in the second half, conceding 84 in his 10 overs.
Short Scores: India 302/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 63, Hardik Pandya 90 *, Ravindra Jadeja 66 *; Ashton Agar 2-44) vs Australia.
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