1
0
0
0
1
0
= 2
Match Details
AUS vs IND 1st ODI, IND vs AUS 2020-21
IND
308-850.0
Australia won by 66 runs
AUS
50.0374-6
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
So that is all for today from the commentary box, Australia takes a 1-0 lead and given India's top-quality performances in ODI cricket across the world, they should make a comeback on Sunday, Stay tuned for the 2nd ODI and do not forget to join us. Till the next time, bubbye and tata from me, Arya Sekhar Chakraborty and my co-commentators Kingshuk Kusari and Akshay Bhide
Aaron Finch: I found it reasonably hard to get my timing in the middle overs. Took a couple of chances and luckily they came off. We've barely been together as a team, half in quarantine and half training at SCG. There was no conscious effort to say we're going to go and target X,Y,Z. As partnerships grow you work it out. Each guy has different strengths and weaknesses. Davey is moving beautifully, something he's been working on. Smudge was different class altogether. And Maxi, that rare ability he's got to almost just click his fingers and put pressure back on the opposition. Super skill, some of those reverses were extraordinary.
Virat Kohli, India Captain: We got enough time to prepare, I don't think there's any excuses on the field when you don't pull up as a side. Probably the first long game we've played in a while, we've been playing T20 cricket. But having said that, we've all played a lot of ODI cricket. The body language after 25-26 overs was disappointing. A quality side will hurt you (if you have fielding lapses). We'll have to find out ways of getting a few overs from a few part-timers in the side. Unfortunately Hardik is not ready to bowl yet so we have to accept that and work around it. That is an area we have looked at, which is a very big part of any team balance. Stoinis and Glenn (Maxwell) do it for Australia. The key to keeping the batsmen in check is picking up wickets and we couldn't do that. From the batting point of view, we had a chat briefly after the game - all of us committed to playing positively and that's why you saw everyone go out there and play with intent. We just need to have a big innings from the top three, 130 or 140, which didn't happen unfortunately. Hardik's innings was an example of that (intent). At no stage did we think we might not get there. We committed to playing positive cricket and we are going to do that going forward as well. When teams put up large totals, you have to have a plan. (On him bowling a few overs) [laughs] Maybe I'll bowl a few when Finchy is batting because I know he doesn't want to get out to me.
Steve Smith, Man of the Match: I've been searching for something for a couple of months now, unfortunately haven't been able to find it. But a couple of days ago I started to hit the ball where I wanted it, and everything came back, the rhythm came back. Finchy and Davey set an excellent platform, we could come and just take off. I wasn't thinking too much out there, just seeing the ball and hitting it. That's probably when I bat my best. I took a few more risks than I would normally, targeted some bowlers and fortunately it came off today. I thought it was a bit high (on the lbw referral) and fortunately it was. You need a bit of luck sometimes, nice to ride it today and score a few for the team.
The Player of the day for me was undoubtedly Steve Smith who played a special knock. Right from the word go, he looked in complete command of proceedings and raced off to a half-century in just 37 deliveries. Finch completed a well deserved century and Smith at the other end was taking the spinners to the cleaners. Smith was eventually dismissed by Mohammed Shami after making 105 of just 66 deliveries. The run rate kept on rocketing up and the Indian bowlers had no answer. Glenn Maxwell's blitz of 45 of 19 deliveries gave the much needed late impetus for Australia in the end which propelled them to 375.
Earlier in the day, it was Aaron Finch who won the toss and opted to bat. The opening partnership proved to be the most productive of the match as both David Warner and Finch batted with authority and never really looked under any sort of troubles what so ever. Both found the boundaries at crucial junctures and manoeuvred the ball to perfection. They shared a mammoth stand of 156 and it was Mohammed Shami who finally broke the partnership.
Dhawan worked the ball around and found the gaps on crucial junctures which never really allowed the required rate to jump. Hardik looked in ominous touch and took the Aussie bowlers to the cleaners. Until he was there, India was well and truly in the game. However, it was Zampa again who came back unexpectedly and bagged two crucial wickets of Dhawan and Hardik to derail India's progress. From there on it was always going to be formalities as far as Australia was concerned. Jadeja, Shami and Saini struck a few lusty blows but it was all too little too late. In the end, Australia emerged comprehensive winners by 66 runs
Shreyas Iyer was gone very early and it was Hazlewood who did the job yet again with another brilliant bouncer. Rahul after playing a few delightful shots fell cheaply and it looked like a mountain way too steep to climb for India. However, Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya had other ideas as they started a counter-attacking partnership which put the Aussies under pressure. Hardik, in particular, took Adam Zampa and Maxwell to the cleaners and smashed 4 sixes in just two overs
He started off with the wicket of Mayank Agarwal with a well-directed short ball. Captain Virat Kohli came in and what followed was some crazy stuff from both the teams. Zampa missed an easy chance of Kohli and the latter latched onto the opportunity and smashed arguably the Shot of the Match. However, his joy was short-lived as another well-directed short delivery outfoxed Kohli and he ended up hitting it straight to the short midwicket fielder
Chasing 375 was always going to be a daunting task for the visitors. They needed a brisk start and it was provided by Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal. Both started off crisply with some exquisite shots and India raced off to 50 in less than 5 overs. However, it was Josh Hazlewood who made the inroads into the Indian batting line-up as he bagged three quick wickets to dismantle India's top order.
So it proved to be a comprehensive win for Australia in the end, A thoroughly professional performance by the home team and they take a 1-0 lead in the 3 match ODI series.
OVER 50.0
India
308/8
Jasprit Bumrah
0(3)
Navdeep Saini
29(35)
Mitchell Starc
1-65(9.0)
49.6 Mitchell Starc to Jasprit Bumrah
0 So thats it from here folks, a handsome win for Australia in the 1st ODI, a great yorker to finish and Bumrah has no idea
49.5 Mitchell Starc to Jasprit Bumrah
0 back of a length outside and would you believe it, Bumrah lets it go :))
49.4 Mitchell Starc to Jasprit Bumrah
0 another well-directed yorker just outside off and Bumrah digs this out
Jasprit Bumrah comes in to bat
49.3 Mitchell Starc to Mohammed Shami
W WICKET!!! Shami had no answer to the yorker, Starc didn't have the greatest of days but he is so good is wiping out the tail, a little bit of reverse swing from Starc, moves away and Shami had no idea and is beaten all ends up
Commentary