Image Credit- ICC
What did you not receive from the ODI World Cup?
Sufficient last-ball suspense? Runs from Josh Inglis and Suryakumar Yadav?
Having wristspinners carried around? That explains why we have bilaterals,
then.
Only four days had passed since Australia’s World Cup
victory when a number of its players remained behind and others joined them for
a five-match Twenty20 International series. The series began with a thrilling
encounter that culminated in a last-ball six that was not even recorded on the
scoreboard. Steven Smith began the batting, Ishan Kishan was out at No. 3, and
Inglis hit Australia’s joint-fastest men’s T20I century after lineups and
fortunes drastically altered. However, certain other aspects did not change.
With the format shifting, Suryakumar’s dominance returned, India’s lineup had
just seven hitters, runs continued to flow freely on an Indian surface, and
despite the departure of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins,
Australia’s bowlers managed to find a way to bounce back and nearly take a 1-0
lead after India needed just 14 from 12 and seven from the last over.
The action now shifts even farther south to
Thiruvananthapuram, where in the previous Twenty20 International, held in
September of last year, South Africa lost to 9 for 5 under cloudy skies. Given
that it rained on Saturday, there’s a chance of more clouds, which might
require the teams to adjust their rosters and game preparations.
Before the harder-hitting hitters take over, Australia
will benefit from Smith’s technical experience at the top of the order if the
ball does swing. Still, they would prefer a few more runs from batters outside
Smith and Inglis. Even though they combined for 91 balls, the two of them
scored more than 80% of Australia’s runs in the first game of the series. After
scoring just 87 runs in five World Cup innings, Marcus Stoinis will be eager to
smash the ball after facing just six balls. Australia, who was 179 for 2 with
three overs remaining, will also be kicking themselves for not scoring more
than 208 on a batting track. That was due to the quick bowlers from India,
particularly Mukesh Kumar, who sent down a mixed bag of slower ones, bouncers,
yorkers and hard lengths to stem the flow of runs, capped by a stunning
five-run last over.
Unless they alter their lineup, India will once more
be cautious of brittleness in the lower middle order, particularly considering
their batting finishes at No. 7. After just one game, legspinner Ravi Bishnoi
leaked 54 in four overs. Will they replace him with an all-rounder like
Washington Sundar or Shivam Dube (in swinging conditions)?