Many expected India to comfortably dominate the ODI series against an Australian side that appeared to be rebuilding, featuring a lineup without their usual big-name match-winners. However, the series unfolded quite differently.
The young Australian batsmen displayed remarkable resilience, securing a surprising two-wicket victory at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, effectively wrapping up the series 2-0. Despite this setback for India, fans did have Rohit Sharma’s spirited performance to celebrate, as he hit a fighting 73 runs off 97 balls.
Unfortunately, Virat Kohli’s struggles continued, marking his second duck of the series. This poor form from Kohli is a significant concern for the Indian team, especially as they head into the upcoming match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which is now being anticipated as a “Ro-Ko” (Rohit-Kohli) farewell of sorts for this particular series against Australia.
Australia, while resting key players like Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Marnus Labuschagne (likely in preparation for the Ashes), fielded their strongest bowling attack. Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa, masters of these local conditions, proved formidable.
Medium-pacer Xavier Bartlett also made significant contributions, claiming the crucial wickets of Shubman Gill (9), Virat Kohli (0), and Washington Sundar, which ultimately restricted India to a modest total of 264 runs.
Historically, a score of 264 might have been sufficient for India, especially if frontline bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav had been playing. While Indian bowlers consistently took wickets, they lacked a decisive strike bowler to truly dismantle the Australian rookie batsmen when they formed crucial partnerships.
Matt Short, batting at number 3, capitalized on two dropped catches to score a valuable 74 off 78 balls. Mitchell Owen, at number 7, impressed with a quickfire 36 off 23 balls, undoubtedly catching the eye of IPL franchises.
However, the true hero for Australia was 22-year-old left-hander Cooper Connolly. Despite a dismal nine-ball duck against India in an earlier Champions Trophy semifinal, Connolly displayed exceptional composure, scoring an unbeaten 61 off just 53 balls to guide Australia to victory, even as wickets tumbled around him.
Kuldeep: The Missing Piece
Kuldeep Yadav was seen engaging with fans for selfies long after the match, a scenario where he would have much preferred to be celebrated for winning the game for India. Yet, he was sidelined once again.
India opted for eight batsmen, with all-rounder Nitish Reddy at number 8. Reddy managed only 8 runs off 10 balls and bowled three overs for 24 runs without picking up a wicket, all while Kuldeep watched from the dugout.
The Australian middle order consistently showed vulnerability against spin. Against the finger-spin of Washington Sundar and Axar Patel, batsmen like Matt Renshaw and Alex Carey struggled to build momentum. However, without Kuldeep’s unique wrist-spin to deliver a decisive blow, the inexperienced Connolly and Owen were able to form a crucial 59-run sixth-wicket partnership that ultimately sealed the game.
Australia’s Bowling Masterclass
While India’s bowling faltered at critical moments, Australia’s attack truly dominated the initial phases of the match.
Josh Hazlewood delivered perhaps one of the best wicket-less spells of his career, conceding only 29 runs. His consistent length kept the Indian batsmen guessing, making scoring incredibly difficult for Rohit Sharma. This pressure forced Shubman Gill to take a risk against Xavier Bartlett, resulting in a superb catch at mid-off by Mitchell Marsh. In the very same over, Bartlett dismissed Kohli with a subtle off-cutter, leaving India reeling at 17-2 in the seventh over.
A resilient partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer (61 off 77 balls) offered some hope, but Adam Zampa (4-60) then took control. The leg-spinner, with his masterful variations in pace and turn, dismissed Iyer, a renowned player of spin. Had players like Axar Patel or KL Rahul managed to stay at the crease longer, India could have easily aimed for a target of 300 runs.