2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by Team India in the 1st ODI vs Australia
Team India got the three-match ODI series against Australia off to a good start as they beat the visitors by five wickets in a tense contest at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, March 17.
Ravindra Jadeja was adjuged the Player of the Match for his all-round showing, while KL Rahul played a crucial knock. Almost all the bowlers contributed, with Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj scalping three wickets each.
However, it wasn't the home side's most convincing performance. There were various moments in the contest when it seemed like Steve Smith and Co. could seriously trouble the Men in Blue.
The hosts will know that they need to start checking more boxes in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup. Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by Team India in the first ODI against Australia.
#3 Mistake - Hardik Pandya played an irresponsible shot to get out
Hardik Pandya came to the crease with the score reading 39/4. Shubman Gill had just been dismissed by Mitchell Starc, who troubled the Indian batters significantly in the opening powerplay.
Hardik needed to stitch together a meaningful partnership with KL Rahul. He attempted to do just that during his innings - while it lasted, at least - as he hit three fours and a six. However, the all-rounder lived dangerously while he was out in the middle.
Hardik hit an uppish drive through point off Cameron Green before slicing a six over third man. Both shots had the potential to get him out before one finally did. A surprise bouncer from Marcus Stoinis had the captain hooking compulsively, with the ensuing top-edge being safely snaffled on the deep square boundary.
Hardik played a hugely irresponsible shot, one that could have cost the hosts dearly if not for Jadeja's calm knock. It wasn't all doom and gloom for the home skipper, though...
#2 Masterstroke - Hardik Pandya's bowling changes didn't let Australia breathe
Barring Mitchell Marsh's fiery 81 off 65 balls, Australia never really got going. He was the only visiting batter to cross the 30-run mark as the Kangaroos folded for just 188 in 35.4 overs.
Much of that was down to Hardik Pandya's astute captaincy, which got the most out of the team's resources. Marsh and Glenn Maxwell were confronted with the guile of Ravindra Jadeja, and although the former struck a few boundaries off the spinners, the positive head-to-head match-up yielded both wickets.
Mohammad Shami was brought back for a lethal second burst which effectively killed Australia's hopes of putting up a big score, and Hardik's field placements were consistently attacking. The Indian skipper had a slip in place almost throughout the first innings, with many chances going Shubman Gill's way.
#1 Mistake - India's top-order batters looked out of their depth
Australia's bowling attack for the first ODI wore a depleted look. Without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the visitors fielded only two specialist bowlers in Mitchell Starc and Sean Abbott.
The Men in Blue's top order, though, failed to counter that challenge effectively. Starc breathed fire in the opening powerplay as he scalped three wickets in the first 11 overs. Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill had no answers to the left-arm pacer's guile and speed.
Ishan Kishan, meanwhile, was made to look amateur by an inswinger from Marcus Stoinis. The southpaw didn't account for the inward movement at all and was trapped in front like a deer in headlights. The dismissal, like the other top-order wickets, was brought about by dodgy foot movement.
The track at the Wankhede Stadium wasn't easy to bat on, but the hosts' batters should've done better.