India Vs Australia ODI series
Match One Played at Mumbai on 14th January 2019
Brief Scorecard:
Australia 258 All Out in 37.4 Overs (David Warner 128* and Aaron Flinch 110* ) beat India 255 All Out in 49.1 Overs ( Shikhar Dhawan 74, KL Rahul 47,RR Pant 28 , R Jadeja 25, MA Starc 3/56, PJ Cummins 2/44,KW Richardson 2/43 ) by 10 Wickets
Player of The Match: David Warner
An all gun firing Australia spearheaded by dynamic David Warner (DW) and amazing Aaron Flinch (AF) producing a cracking record setting unfinished opening partnership crushed team India to a 10 wickets defeat in the first match of three matches ODI series. The pride of team India got badly bruised, battered, shocked and awed. Batting first India could manage 255 all out. Australia raced to 258 in only 37.4 overs without losing any wicket.
It was a completely one-sided contest with none but Shikhar Dhawan (SD) dealing with authority the fast and furious Australian attack. Indian bowling also looked toothless as Australian batsmen meaning business blasted them all around the park breaking the hearts of billion adoring Indian fans It was a completely one sided contest like David against Golliath. Hope India bounces back soon making the series attractive as it promised. As Virat in post match interview acknowledged, “We were comprehensively thrashed in all three departments of the game.” Australia looked like a team in a mission, India appeared listless.
Team India was beaming with confidence after successful Year 2019 in all formats of cricket whether at home or on tour. Several players including Virat, Rohit, Rahul were in prolific form with the bat. After a long while India developed a very strong pace attack with Sami, Bhumra and Shardul looking sharp and penetrative. Jadeja and Kuldip remained wily. For a change India was fielding dynamically. Australia also lost almost nothing in recent times since regrouping during the Ashes with the return to team freak genius Steve Smith and David Warner. A new Champion Marcus Labuchang also appeared in the scene Tall. Stormy Starc, Cummins, Hazzlewood, Pattinson and company crushed all opposition that came their way. A mouth watering ODI series was expected when the two all conquering teams locked horns for the three matches ODI series. But on a sluggish wicket at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Indian batting failed to click. 251 all out against Australia on not too difficult wicket failed to cause any challenge .Flamboyant Warner and effervescent Flinch toying with Indian bowlers made cake walk. An unbroken 258 runs opening partnership bashed, battered, bruised and humiliated India. Winning by 10 wickets Australia surged 1-0 ahead in the three match series. VK and his troops would have to turn around to remain in contest. But flying Kangaroos at this moment looks supremely confident to win the series and may even white wash. Australians are super athletes and never let opportunities slip off their grip. The task is well cut out for team India.
Australia in recent times at home proved very strong against stronger Pakistan and New Zealand. India crashed Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Most players in the two top ICC ranked teams were set to produce closer contest. It can happen in one match, an off day can appear for even the champions of the champions. India in India in recent time is always a very difficult opponent. India is ultimate frontier of top cricket teams to conquer.
The composition of Australian bowling attack amply demonstrated that they meant business. Aston Ager and Adam Zampa in team gave the five prong attack all round strength. Starc and Cummins in recent times formed match winning lethal combinations any way. Australia is now being devastated by terrible bush fire. Many animals including Kangaroos got burned. The cake walk of Australia over mighty India must also please all Australia back home including bushfire affected community.
Australia put plans into place from the start. Flinch put India into bat on a wicket appearing a bit sluggish. Starc meant business. The pace and penetration of Aussie fast bowlers appeared to ratlle India. Starc took venom out of Indian bowling removing flamboyant Rohit early in the 5th over. Dhawan and Rahul were not finding it easy as Starc, Cummins and Richardson generated impressive pace and hardly gave any width to free flowing Indian stroke makers. Yet the partnership of Shikhar and Rahul was the only bright spot of Indian batting. Together they put on 121 in the second wicket. They solid foundation was soon rattled and tsunamied. Within the space of 5 overs Rahul, Shikhar, Virat and Iyer were sent back to the pavilion by combination of pace and spin. India was reduced to 5/164. India could not recover from this mid over collapse. The best of Pant and Jadeja proved too little too less. Indian batsmen lacked skill and temperament to deal with horses for the courses Australian attack. 251 all out against power packed Australian batting was about 50 runs too less for making it a contest . Indian team management must find an answer why and how India decimated from 1/134 to 5/164 so quick. A batsman like MS Dhoni or AjinkaRahane was missing. Why not MaynakAgarwal or Manish Pandey in the team? Starc (3/56), Cummins (2/44) and Richardson (2/43) were the key destroyers. Even Zampa taking the prized scalp of V Kohli and Ager bowled reasonably well Ager accounting for the dismissal of Rahul made significant contribution. Australian bowlers had good measure of Indian batting and hardly offered a free bee.
Warner and Flinch displayed their natural aggressive game. Sami and Bumrah could hardly make any impression. Neither could Kuldeep and Jadeja castle them. Warner struck 17 fours and three towering sixes in his breezy unbeaten 126 of 112 deliveries. Matching stroke for strokes Flinch struck 13 fours and two sixes in his 114 balls 110. Australia galloped across India set target in only 37.4 Overs. India was knocked down and knocked out.
We are not sure India had the right team to play against powerful Australia. The fragile Indian middle order without major contribution from Rohit and Virat can not make India competitive. With this commanding win Australia looked like wrapping up the series and going for even a comprehensive white wash unless Rohit or Virat display magical batting. It will be an uphill task.
BDST: 1210 HRS, JAN 15, 2020
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