The first match of the much anticipated India-Australia ODI series saw an Australia team which was outdone by Hardik Pandya’s all round brilliance, MS Dhoni’s composure and the wrist spinners’ street-smart performances.
After having won the toss and electing to bat first, India did not get off the best of starts, 11/3; 64/4 and half the side gone under 100. At that time all was looking beautiful for Captain Steve Smith and his men but then the Pandya storm came which was accompanied by Dhoni’s calmness on the other end and when the time came, Dhoni did join the party. After that Australia didn’t actually have a moment in the game, except a short little cameo from Glenn Maxwell (after the game was reduced to 21 overs due to rain).
Let’s have a look at a few turning points from the match.
- 1. Coulter Nile picks up 3
NM Coulter-Nile picked up three wickets in his first spell itself, going through the Indian batting order, picking up the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey, the latter two going for ducks. Coulter Nile’s brilliant spell was very well complemented by Pat Cummins from the other end who exerted the pressure from the other end as well, not conceding easy runs and making life very difficult for the batsmen.
- Steve Smith drops 2
Arguably the biggest turning point of the match was the two catches that were dropped by Steve Smith. Although the first dropped catch of Rohit Sharma didn’t cost Australia much, it was the dropped the catch of Hardik Pandya that might have cost them the match itself. Pandya was just 13 when the catch was dropped, Pandya went on to make 83 off 67 balls and took the game away from the opposition.
- Hardik Pandya on fire
Pandya was brilliant and his clean and big six hitting ability helped India accelerate and gain momentum in an otherwise dented Indian innings. The Dhoni-Pandya partnership turned things in India’s favor and there was no looking back from there. Hardik Pandya scored 3 sixes and a boundary of Adam Zampa’s single over before hitting a six and getting out in his next over. It was Pandya’s innings that took the pressure off Dhoni.
- India pick up wickets
India picked up wickets in the begging, middle and the end and that was key because the match was reduced to 21 overs, the Aussies were looking to score quickly so it was important that India pick up a few wickets otherwise the likes of Warner and Smith would have run away with the match, but no such opportunity was given to these players and almost every Indian bowler bowled as per the plan complementing each other beautifully. Hardik Pandya and the spinners were stand outs.
- Maxwell’s short stay
Maxwell short’s stay at the crease was the only real hope for Australia while they were batting. When the required run rate was above 10, it was Maxwell’s sixes which gave some kind of belief in the dressing room that the match is still not over. Just when Maxwell fell into the trap trying to hit a far delivery out of the park and mistiming it to as far as long on, the match was practically over.
India eventually won by 26 runs (D/L method)
The second of the 5 match ODI series will be played on Thursday, 21 September, Live from the Eden Gardens, Kolkata 1:30 PM (IST).
