India vs Australia 2013: Rain washes out fourth ODI at Ranchi

George Bailey continued his great run of form

The fourth One Day international match between India and Australia at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi was called off as the outfield, affected by rain, was deemed unfit to play by the match umpires. Batting first, Australia had set a target of 296 for India. In reply, the home team was on 27/0 in 4.1 overs when rain intervened to stop the play.

While Australia fielded an unchanged playing eleven, India had made two changes to their team. While Mohammed Shami replacing Ishant Sharma was along the expected lines, Jaydev Unadkat getting a game ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar took everyone by surprise. Although the seamer from Uttar Pradesh has only taken one wicket in his last three matches, it contradicts Indian captain MS Dhoni‘s theory of placing faith on his players.

Put into the bat first, Australia were rocked early by a spectacular opening burst from Shami who took very less time to justify his inclusion. While Aaron Finch, who has been having a very good tournament so far, was cleaned up by an inswinger, Phil Hughes’ shortcomings were neatly exploited as he fell to a failed prod outside off-stump. Shami nearly had George Bailey for a golden-duck, if not for Virat Kohli‘s drop at third slip.

Shane Watson, who had got off to a promising start with three good looking boundaries, was cleaned up by Shami with a delivery that went through his bat-pad gap. As a result of these triple strikes, the visitors, who were used to an easy start against Indian pacers so far in the tour, looked jolted with the scoreboard reading 32/3 in 8 overs.

However, with the return of Vinay Kumar, who conceded 14 runs off his very first over, and Ravichandran Ashwin, normalcy resumed. Despite the loss of Adam Voges, who missed a pretty much nothing delivery from Ashwin to be trapped leg-before wicket, Australia remained positive in their approach. The massive fifth-wicket partnership, considering the situation that the visitors were in, between Bailey and Glenn Maxwell yielded 153 runs in 22.4 overs at 6.75 rpo.

The lackluster fielding effort from the Indian team, who dropped as many as five catches, did not help their cause. Bailey (98 off 94) fell two short of his century, as he found the fielder at deep-midwicket, while attempting to clear the ropes when he was dished out a long-hop from Vinay Kumar. The wicket was very crucial for India as they were in danger of conceding in excess of 325, considering the sad state of the home team’s death bowling, with Australia having got upto 224/4 in 37 overs.

Even though none of the batsmen who followed made anything of note, especially Brad Haddin (3), who looks well past his best and is primarily in the team as a result of the dearth of wicketkeepers in Australia, the visitors managed to set a target of 296. Maxwell scored an attacking 92 off just 77 balls, before being declared lbw off the bowling of Vinay Kumar.

Shami, who bowled a very good last over which showcased his ability to bowl yorkers, quite inexplicably had two overs left in his quota.