2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by India in the 1st T20I vs Australia
Team India got off to a winning start in the five-match T20I series against Australia as they clinched the opening encounter by two wickets in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, November 23.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl, the Men in Blue were put under pressure by Australia, with Josh Inglis' sensational century powering the visitors to 208/3. However, Suryakumar Yadav matched him shot for shot to take his side to a thrilling victory in an entertaining chase.
India's skipper had a productive outing on his T20I captaincy debut, but there were a couple of things he could've done better. Ahead of the remaining four games, he and the think tank will reflect on their display in Vizag.
Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by Team India in the first T20I against Australia.
#3 Mistake - There were as many as three run-outs in the Indian innings, and none of them were acceptable
India's chase got off to a terrible start as Yashasvi Jaiswal ran Ruturaj Gaikwad out. Gaikwad, who hadn't faced a single ball, was called through for a two before being sent back. It wasn't the first time the two openers struggled with running between the wickets, and the hosts will need to ensure that they sort this issue out at the earliest.
There were two more run-outs in the game.
Rinku Singh hared through for a bye when Ravi Bishnoi missed his first ball, and he arguably shouldn't have taken that risk. Had he been caught out at the striker's end, one of the fast bowlers would've been asked to score the remaining two runs.
Off the very next ball, Arshdeep Singh somehow managed to fail to run a two, even though he was at the non-striker's end to start off and the ball went deep into the outfield between long-on and deep midwicket. Even Rinku, who played the shot, had made his ground, but Arshdeep was short.
None of the three run-outs in India's innings were acceptable.
#2 Masterstroke - India were aggressive throughout, especially against Tanveer Sangha
Barring Ishan Kishan's dot-ball fest at the start of his innings, India were positive throughout their chase. And even when two wickets fell in the first three overs, Suryakumar Yadav kept things going from one end.
Once Tanveer Sangha came into the attack, the Men in Blue didn't let him settle at all. Kishan, too, joined in on the fun, heaving the leg-spinner over the leg-side boundary with consummate ease.
Had India not been as aggressive against Sangha, as well as in the last few overs of the powerplay, they may have eventually fallen short.
#1 Mistake - Suryakumar Yadav didn't use a sixth bowler
Even though Josh Inglis ran away with the momentum of the first innings and took Australia to a 200-plus total, India opted to use only their frontline bowlers. Suryakumar Yadav didn't call upon a sixth option even though two of his bowlers went at over 12 runs an over.
That was an unwelcome sight not just because the Men in Blue could've used a different cutting edge to their attack, but also because this is bound to reflect badly on the side later. If they're not going to test out part-time bowling options in a bilateral assignment against a second-string side, when are they ever going to?
India have often struggled without a sixth bowling option, and they are completely aware of the pitfalls of the same. Yet, they have steadfastly refused to take meaningful steps towards not being in that position.