Finance
KL Rahul Dravid hit a well-controlled unbeaten 75 and shared a crucial sixth wicket partnership of 108 runs with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja as India defeated Australia by five wickets with 61 balls to spare. India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the victory at Wankhede Stadium.
After the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj claimed three wickets apiece to help India bundle out Australia for 188 after skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first, Rahul and Jadeja came together to rescue India from a precarious 83/5 position and lead them to a memorable victory.
It was not your typical Wankhede wicket, with movement off the seam for the bowlers. The bowlers held the upper hand barring the magnificent 65-ball 81 by Australia’s makeshift opener Mitchell Marsh and the controlled knocks by Rahul and Jadeja.
India got off to a disastrous start, losing their first three wickets for just 16 runs. The Indian batters struggled with the ball swinging and nipping around, and the Australian bowlers made their lives difficult by not giving them any chances.
Marcus Stoinis brought one back into the batter’s box, and Ishan Kishan was thoroughly beaten. He reviewed the decision, but the umpire made the call.
Mitchell Starc was at his best, occasionally bringing the ball in and then taking it out to keep the batsmen guessing. He also returned the in-form Virat Kohli (4), bringing the ball in after taking it out for a couple of deliveries.
Suryakumar Yadav, the T20 specialist hoping to make the World Cup ODI squad, was out for a first-ball duck, beaten by pace as the ball missed the inside edge and thudded into the pads. Australia investigated, and ball tracking revealed that it would have struck the top of the off-stump. Starc got two in two and added Shubman Gill to his victims as the batter played a loose shot, driving away from the body, and Marnus Labuschagne picked a fine catch.
Gill stayed at the wicket for 31 runs and scored 20 runs, failing to adapt to the conditions as Starc claimed 3-24 in his first spell.
Two middle-order partnerships then resurrected India, both involving Rahul, who had recently lost his vice-captaincy due to his poor form. He was India’s star of the day, producing a knock of exceptional quality. He began cautiously, getting used to the swing as the Australian bowlers, led by Starc, threatened to end the Indian innings early.
Rahul and Hardik Pandya combined to score 44 runs off 55 deliveries for the fifth wicket. Rahul waited while Pandya (25 off 31 balls) went for his shots, hitting the first six of the Indian innings off Cameron Green, as well as fours off him, Starc, and Sean Abbott before becoming Stoinis’ second victim of the day, rushing into a hook shot off a bouncer that nipped in to cramp him for space.
Rahul then played a key role in India’s most crucial partnership of the innings, a half-century partnership for the sixth wicket with Jadeja as India, trailing Australia at the end of 28 overs at 114/5 to the visitors’ 169/5, fought back brilliantly.
Rahul completed his half-century in 71 deliveries, later opening up with a four and a six off Adam Zampa in the 36th over. He was given reprieves when a couple of outside edges did not carry, and he was also beaten on a few occasions, but he continued to build his innings, hitting four boundaries in his fifty. He celebrated by hitting two fours and a six, but he scored the majority of his runs on singles.
Jadeja proved an able ally as they raised an unbeaten century partnership to help India escape to victory from a difficult situation.
Brief scores:
Australia 188 all out in 35.4 overs (Mitchell Marsh 81, Steve Smith 22; Mohammed Shami 3-17, Mohd Siraj 3-29) lost to India 191/5 in 39.5 overs (KL Rahul 75 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 45 not out, Hardik Pandya 25; Mitchell Starc 3-49, Marcus Stoinis 2-27) by five wickets.
Source:OCN
