India vs Australia Highlights, 1st ODI: 3 moments that generated buzz among fans
Team India ticked some crucial boxes ahead of the World Cup with an impressive win over Australia in the first ODI at Mohali on Friday, September 2022. It was also the first time since 1996 that the Men in Blue had beaten Australia in an ODI in Mohali.
A five-wicket haul from Mohammed Shami and some vital contributions from other bowlers helped the hosts restrict the Aussies to just 276 in their 50 overs. Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad then exploded and we're almost running away with the game with their opening partnership.
While Australia did make a comeback by picking some quick wickets in the middle overs, the partnership between KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav ensured that they clinched the game comfortably by five wickets.
On that note, let's take a look at three moments in the game that grabbed the attention of fans on social media:
#3 Mohammed Shami making a statement
Mohammed Shami is probably behind Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the pecking order, as seen in the Asia Cup. The team management has been keen on having batting depth and that's probably why Shardul Thakur has been playing ahead of Shami.
However, Shami bagged career-best figures of 5/51 in Mohali and showed why he probably won't be a bad option to start alongside Siraj and Bumrah in the World Cup. While it will compromise the batting depth, Shami has certainly given the team management something to think about with wickets across all phases of the innings.
#2 Shreyas Iyer's run out
Shreyas Iyer's comeback was short-lived in the Asia Cup as he played just one game against Pakistan and then was sidelined with a back spasm. He is arguably India's best bet against spin and his numbers at No. 4 have been sensational.
However, Iyer could only score 3 off 7 balls against Australia on Friday and the way he ran himself out showed that he was a bit nervous. These are worrying signs for India as they would probably have Iyer and KL Rahul as their first-choice No. 4 and No. 5 respectively going into the World Cup.
With Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings, Iyer will probably need to score big in the next two games to find his form as well as get back into the groove after a long injury lay-off.
#1 Suryakumar Yadav repaying the faith
Arguably the biggest positive that India got from the game was Suryakumar Yadav finding form in ODI cricket. He scored his third half-century in ODIs and after a long wait, finally repaid the faith shown in him by the Indian team management.
More than the half-century, SKY's shot selection was commendable as he refrained from playing even one sweep shot. He played some outstanding straight drives and focused on rotating the strike alongside KL Rahul.
While Suryakumar couldn't stay unbeaten till the end, his half-century and partnership of 80 with Rahul ensured that the Men in Blue didn't have any further hiccups in the run chase. SKY himself will be relieved that he was finally able to adapt his game to this format.
To watch the highlights of the game, click here.