India faced a dismal start in their second T20I clash against Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The team’s top five batters crumbled dramatically, posting individual scores of just 5, 2, 1, 0, and 5, leaving the visitors in deep trouble early in their innings.
The Australian bowling attack, spearheaded by the in-form Josh Hazlewood, proved to be devastating. Hazlewood’s well-directed delivery claimed the first wicket, dismissing Shubman Gill for a mere 5 runs. Gill attempted to loft the ball over mid-off but couldn’t connect cleanly, resulting in a straightforward catch for the Australian captain, much to Gill’s visible frustration.
The decision to promote Sanju Samson to number three also backfired. In the very next over, Nathan Ellis trapped Samson leg before wicket for just 2 runs. Samson was caught out by a sharp nip-backer that hit his back leg after pitching. Ball-tracker confirmed the ball was headed for the leg stump, making the umpire’s decision easy.
Hazlewood returned in his third over to further decimate the Indian lineup. He quickly sent Suryakumar Yadav back to the pavilion for 1 run and Tilak Varma for a duck. Suryakumar edged a slightly nipping away short delivery to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis. Tilak Varma’s brief stint at the crease ended with a mistimed cross-bat shot, resulting in a top edge that Inglis comfortably caught at short fine leg, leaving India reeling.
Hazlewood’s impeccable consistency and ability to generate movement off the pitch made batting incredibly challenging for the Indian side. His precision, reminiscent of Test-match bowling, exposed the top order’s vulnerability to bounce and seam on the MCG wicket.
To compound India’s misery, Axar Patel was run out for 5 after a brilliant piece of fielding by Tim David, plunging the team into further disarray.