5 talking points from Australia-India 1st ODI
Indian players wearing a dejected look after losing the first ODI in PerthIndia, after posting a good total of 309 in 50 overs, would have expected to defend it much better than they did. However, Australian batsmen, Steven Smith and George Bailey had other ideas as they dominated the Indian bowlers comprehensively to earn the hosts a five-wicket victory in the first ODI at the WACA in Perth.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli batted brilliantly for India as they put on a 207-run partnership for the second wicket after India lost an early wicket. None of the Australian bowlers except Josh Hazlewood did well with the ball.It seemed like India were a fast bowler short after only two bowlers picked up wickets for India. A flat WACA pitch does not allow any margin for error and it could be argued that most of the Indian bowlers failed to contain Smith and Bailey early in their innings.Whether the flat track that was used in Perth is a sign of things to come is something that India will have to ponder upon. If the trend continues, it will be interesting to see if Dhoni will persist with two spinners or take the chance of using an extra pace bowler who might come in handy on Australian pitches.Here are the five talking points from the first ODI:
#1 Shikhar Dhawan\'s bad form
Shikhar Dhawan's bad run of form seems to have continued into the new year as he got out for a single-digit score. Dhawan had a tough time in the middle as he struggled to tackle the Australian bowling.
Although India got off to a good start and had a run rate of above five an over when Dhawan got out, the 30-year-old left-hander was able to score only nine runs off 22 balls. Hazlewood, who bowled a tight line and length consistently, picked up the wicket of Dhawan as the batsman tried to hook the bowler.
After ending up the 2015 World Cup as India's highest run-getter, Dhawan's form has dipped drastically in ODIs. In the nine innings he played after the World Cup, Dhawan scored only 293 runs at an average of 32.55. He did not score any century and just scored three fifties, all of which came in the Indian subcontinent.
For a batsman who has an ODI average of just under 43, underperforming for almost a year is disappointing especially when the team needs a good start to the batting innings.
It remains to be seen how long MS Dhoni will persist with Dhawan at the top of the batting order. Ajinkya Rahane, who was pushed down the batting order in the first ODI, could very well fill in for Dhawan at the top of the order and stick around with Rohit Sharma to get India off to a good start.