Ajit Karn
The Australian spinners relentlessly pressured the Indian batting squad, and it showed as the visitors won the three-match ODI series 2-1 with a convincing 21-run win on Wednesday. India was dismissed for 248 in 49.1 overs while chasing a challenging 270 on a difficult surface as Australia regained the series after dropping the first ODI by a margin of five wickets. The series loss shows how ill-prepared the Indian squad is for the World Cup and how many loose ends still need to be fastened.
In the closing 15 overs of the game, Australian spinners Adam Zampa (4/45) and Ashton Agar (2/41 in 10 overs) claimed six Indian wickets between them, conceding only 86 runs in the 20 overs they bowled.
After the 35th over of the Indian game, the Chepauk track grew increasingly slower, making it very challenging to make huge strokes.
The outcome was inevitable once Zampa bowled a few googlies to compel Hardik Pandya (40 off 40 deliveries) and Ravindra Jadeja (1 off 33 balls) to smash against the turn.
Zampa was unquestionably the Australian team’s star because he had his greatest statistics against India.
In fact, Australia defeated India in a two-match ODI series in 2019 to become the most recent foreign side to do so. Back then, the final tally was 3-2. India has won seven consecutive international ODI home matches since that series loss four years ago.
The Indian top-order promised to deceive in three straight games, all of which were played at home. If Australia had hit at least 235 in the first ODI, they might have lost the series 3-0.
KL Rahul scored the most runs for India in the series, 116, and that fact alone conveys the tale.
India scored only 31 runs between overs 35 and 43, which is when the match changed course.
The captain, Rohit Sharma (30 off 17 balls), made a strong start but played one draw shot too many and was trapped out at deep square leg fence. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill was out after Alex Carey persuaded Steve Smith to take a DRS. (37 off 49 balls).
Virat Kohli (54 off 72 balls) and Rahul (32 off 50 balls) contributed 69 runs in 15.3 overs together, but they were never able to establish a dominant position on a track that grew slowing over time.
In the 21st delivery of Tamil Nadu, Kohli struck a pull shot off Agar for his first boundary. Two deliveries later, Kohli hit a majestic six off Agar over extra cover.
In the 45th delivery of his innings, Rahul struck Zampa over the head for a four-yard boundary. The following over was fired by Starc from a wide off-crease position, but the length ball was struck for a clean six.
However, Rahul dug out a ball that Zampa had shot into the blockhole, but Abbot timed his leap well to grab it at the boundary.
When it was Agar’s time, he swiftly returned Suryakumar Yadav ((0)), who was out of form, along with Kohli for his third first-ball duck in as many outings.
When Pandya and Jadeja teamed up with the Australian close-in fielders, India went from 146 for 2 to 185 for 6 and the situation became extremely difficult.
But despite the opposition’s precise delivery, Pandya kept his strike rate above 100.
Prior to the tail wagging significantly to help the tourists reach a valiant 269 all out in 49 overs after electing to bat first, the Australian batsmen were kept on a close leash by a strong opening stint by Pandya and a probing effort by Kuldeep Yadav.
Australia was able to stay in the game thanks to the 131 contributed by the five wickets.
The greatest lesson was Kuldeep’s (3/56 in 10 overs) rhythm and cunning on a helpful Chennai track, as the latter’s delivery to eliminate Carey was the ball of the series, while Pandya (3/44 in 8 overs) reduced the top half.
The southpaw was defeated by a traditional left-arm wrist spinner’s leg-break, and Kuldeep’s ecstasy was evident.
Australia had been reduced to 138 for 5 when India gained the upper hand, but a 58-run partnership between Carey and Marcus Stoinis for the sixth wicket and a 42-run partnership between Sean Abbott (26) and Ashton Agar (17) for the eighth wicket helped them get close to 250, and Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa added 22 crucial runs for the final wicket.
Also read: Golden Duck for the third time in a row, Suryakumar Yadav
After Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head put up 68 for the opening partnership, it seemed like Australia would win the toss, but Pandya delivered three distinct deliveries in his first three overs to totally shift the tide in the hosts’ direction.
Before Carey played his first meaningful session (38 off 46 balls) on the final day of a protracted, nearly two-month tour, David Warner (23 off 31 balls) and Marnus Labuschagne (28 off 45 balls) paid heavily for their careless shot choices off Kuldeep’s bowling.
Comments
