"Steve Smith and captaincy is a match made in heaven" - Ravichandran Ashwin after Australia's ODI series win over India
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lavished praise on Australian batter Steve Smith's captaincy in the recently concluded ODI series against the Men in Blue. Following Australia's win in the third ODI of the series, Ashwin put out a tweet praising the right-handed batter.
Smith, who led the Aussies in the three-match series in regular captain Pat Cummins' absence, has transformed his side since the first game in Mumbai.
The 33-year-old has been proactive and tactically sound regarding bowling changes and field placings. His leadership skills allowed Australia to beat a strong Indian side at home in the series.
Ashwin praised Smith after Australia beat India by 21 runs in the third match to grab the series 2-1.
"Steve smith and captaincy is a match made in heaven," he tweeted.
#INDvAUSSteve smith and captaincy is a match made in heaven👌#INDvAUS
The New South Wales cricketer has been brilliant in the field too, pulling off a stunning one-handed catch to remove Hardik Pandya in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam. In the final game in Chennai, he pulled off a run-out to dismiss Axar Patel and took an important catch to send Pandya home at a crucial juncture.
The visitors were also highly competitive in the Test series, bouncing back with a victory in the third Test after defeats in the first two.
The third ODI at Chepauk saw India lose the game and the series as Australia bowled them out for 248 while defending 269. While the visitors suffered a middle-order collapse, their tail steered them to 269 from a precarious 196-6.
Australia were clinical with the ball and in the field, with Adam Zampa starring with four scalps as Virat Kohli's half-century went in vain. The 21-run victory has also catapulted Australia to the top of the ICC ODI rankings.
Steve Smith has undergone a lean tour with the bat
While Smith's captaincy has been on point since taking charge of the side in the third Test in Indore, he has had a forgettable tour as a batter. The 33-year-old's highest score across formats was 38, which he scored in the first innings of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.
A series win for the Aussies! 🙌
Scorecard: cricketa.us/INDvAUS23_ODI3 #AUSvIND https://t.co/M1KY5r7Mnf
The 50-over series saw him score only 22 runs in two innings, including perishing for a duck in the final ODI in Chennai. While most Aussie players in the ODI squad will join their respective IPL franchises, the star batter will return home to prepare for his county cricket stint with Sussex in May.