New Delhi: Amid all the trolling and questions being raised, KL Rahul stood up when it was needed the most and scored a match-winning fifty for India. With a lot of swing in the initial overs, batters on both sides struggled, but Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja took India through while chasing 189 with five wickets in hand. Mitchell Starc and Marcus Stoinis did for Australia what Shami and Siraj did for India.
India lost four wickets for 39 but KL Rahul scored 75* off 91 to chase down the total. It was Rahul’s day as he not only scored crucial runs but also took a stunning diving catch behind the stumps. Ravindra Jadeja scored 45* off 69 as an important contribution to the chase. The two batters had a 108-run unbeaten stand between them.
It was a slow chase as the pitch allowed the ball to swing and Starc and Stoinis milked out the advantage with the new ball. After Stonis trapped Ishan Kishan lbw, Strac struck back-to-back by dismissing Virat Koli and Suryakumar Yadav with the deliveries that came into the batter.
Gill scored 20 runs but looked uncomfortable as the ball not only swung but also seamed after landing on the pitch. Hardik Pandya contributed 25(31) before getting out to a bouncer by Stoinis.
While Australia’s ace pacers bowled well with the new ball, Cameron Green and spinner Adam Zampa became the targets to get boundaries.
Starc ended up with a figures of 49/3 and Stoinis picked two for 27.
In the first inning, Siraj again struck with the new ball and dismissed Travis Head. Mitchell Marsh, who looked like the only comfortable batter in the match, played an inning of 81 off 65, hitting 10 fours and 5 sixes. Hardik Pandya broke the 72-run stand between Marsh and Smith as KL Rahul caught the Australian captain while Jadeja dismissed Marsh when he tried to hit big.
It was Shami’s second spell, where he picked three quick wickets, when the visitors’ lower order collapse and they were restricted to 188. Mohammed Shami ended up with 17/3 while Siraj got 29/3. Jadeja picked two wickets and Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav picked one each.
The bright side of the game were stunning catches and great fielding by both sides as they showed though the series is not part of the Super League, they are serious to prepare for the World Cup.
India played Ishan Kishan at the opening with Shubman Gill in Rohit Sharma’s absence. For Australia, Marsh came in place of David Warner, who has not fully recovered and Josh Inglis replaced sick Alex Carey as the wicketkeeper.
