After much debate on their top-order batting in the build-up, India were left to assess their bowling resources after dew and a determined Australia ran out victors by four wickets in the first game of the series here on Tuesday.
Having to chase 209, after opener KL Rahul (55 off 35 balls) and Hardik Pandya (71* — 30 b, 7×4, 5×6) started and finished in robust fashion, the T20 world champions didn’t panic. Cameron Green is not in the World Cup squad for next month’s title defence at home, and was opening for the first time. The tall all-rounder looked every bit the part, his whirlwind 61 off 30 balls with a strike-rate of 203 setting up victory, which was sealed with four balls to spare.
India left out Jasprit Bumrah, and Green used his height to tee up even those deliveries that were bowled a tad short of length. Umesh Yadav, in the side because of Mohammed Shami’s Covid positive, felt the heat. As Green swatted fours and sixes, the packed Mohali crowd went quiet. David Warner has been rested for the series, but Green’s power-hitting did the damage.
India could have ended Green’s onslaught early if Axar Patel had held the miscue off Hardik Pandya at deep mid-wicket. Axar made amends for that lapse by removing Green in the 11th over, but Australia’s depth in the line-up even after leaving Mitch Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc back home was evident. Harshal Patel, a big hope at containing the runs in the death overs, was helpless as Matthew Wade and Tim David took 22 runs off the 18th over. It ended the contest well before the winning run was scored.
India’s hopes were briefly raised when Umesh Yadav removed two wickets after successful reviews for catches. Steve Smith was out for 35, steering a low catch to Dinesh Karthik, before the dangerous Glenn Maxwell feathered a catch behind for three. But Wade’s unbeaten 45 off 21 showcased Australia’s explosive batting power through the line-up.
Australia had conceded their highest ever total against India in a T20I after electing to bowl. The only bowler to escape punishment was Axar, returning 3/17.
Amid the opening debate around Rahul and Kohli, the former get off to a solid start. Skipper Rohit Sharma miscued a catch (11) and Kohli too could get the ball in the middle of the bat, falling for 2 off 7 deliveries. Pandya though took over at No 5. Pandya showed power-hitting and kept the crowd on the edge of their seats with clean strikes. With five massive sixes and seven boundaries—he hit sixes off the last three balls of the innings facing Green.
Pandya lifted India past the 200-run mark. He was India’s most valuable player in the Asia Cup and carried the form in Mohali as well. While Rahul put an end to the criticism about his slow strike-rate, Sharma could not get going, both falling to Josh Hazelwood. Though Kohli fell early, Suryakumar Yadav turned out to be the man to bring the team back on track, scoring a 25-ball 46 and partnering Pandya.
Sharma said after the loss, “I don’t think we bowled that well. 200 is a good score to defend and at the same time we didn’t take our chances on the field. That’s about it. I think we batted brilliantly to get to that score. It was a great game for us to understand where we went wrong and what we can do better in the next game.”
“For us it was just about that one wicket between Wade and Tim David. And we were not able to do that. I think they got a 60-odd partnership in 32 balls, which was a turning point from their perspective.”
Australia skipper Finch said: “Obviously the dew helped us at the back end. We had some really good partnerships. I thought the intent of all our guys, the way they just attacked their match ups and really took it on and tried to change the momentum of the game was really good. That’s all we’re after at the moment.”