IND vs AUS Highlights: Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have powered India to a 6-wicket win over Australia in their ODI World Cup opener. Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc demolished India top order with Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer fallinng for duck in the first two overs. But then, Virat Kohli (85) and KL Rahul (97) stitched together 165-run stand to help India score 2 points. Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah put up exception bowling performances to bowl Australia out for 199.
Earlier, Australia skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bat first against Rohit Sharma-led India. Ishan Kishan, Ravichandran Ashwin are included in India Playing XI while Shubman Gill missed out as he is still recovering from dengue. For Australia, Travis Head missed the clash.
Australia Innings Summary:
Ravindra Jadeja became the biggest nemesis among Indian spinners on a tacky Chepauk track as India rolled over Australia for 199 in 49.3 overs. Jadeja, who knows the track like the back of his hand, courtesy his decade-plus association with Chennai Super Kings, took 3 for 28 in 10 overs.
Ravichandran Ashwin (1/34 in 10 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/42 in 10 overs) also played their parts to perfection.
But it was Jadeja’s show all the way as he tilted the scale in India’s favour. He dismissed an under-pressure Steve Smith (46 off 71 balls) and an unusually subdued Marnus Labuschagne (27 off 41 balls) in quick succession.
The Indian spin trio collectively bowled 101 dot balls to completely choke the run-flow. In all there were nearly 29 overs worth dot balls by Indian bowlers.
It certainly didn’t go as per plan for Aussies as Jasprit Bumrah (2/35 in 10 overs) dismissed Mitchell Marsh (0) with Virat Kohli completing a good catch at first slip.
While David Warner (41 off 52 balls) and Smith added 69 runs, it took them 14 overs to score them.
They were not at all comfortable and not being very adept with sweep shot meant that one scoring option went out of the window. It was Kuldeep, who got the important wicket of Warner, as he bowled one full and fast that skidded a bit. The left-hander tried to loft it but could only offer a return catch.
Smith and his protégé Labuschagne then added another 36 but once Jadeja started finding the rhythm, both were in tangles. Jadeja, who has dismissed Smith 10 times across formats, hoodwinked his bunny with subtle variations.
From 110/2, Australia slumped to 119/5 and there was no looking back for Indian bowlers. And in the end, Australia collapsed to 199 in 49.3 overs.
India Innings Summary:
200 is never a big target. But Chennai makes any score difficult to chase. Against Australia, it becomes even more difficult. And five-time world champions did not give up after the low total. Their pace attack reduced India to 2/3 in 2 overs with Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer bagging a duck each.
Mitchell Starc dealt the first blow, removing Ishan Kishan as he nicked it to Cameron Green in the first over. Rohit Sharma was the next to go as he was trapped LBW off Josh Hazlewood. And then, it was Shreyas Iyer who handed it to David Warner as if he had a bus to catch.
But then on, it was all class by the chase master Virat Kohli with his apprentice KL Rahul. The two rebuilt the innings a single at a time and couples of runs at a time.
Virat Kohli never relied on boundaries. Instead, he kept pushing KL Rahul, who just kept wickets in that heat for 50 overs, to convert the ones into twos.
After surviving a dropped chance by Mitchell Marsh, Kohli never looked back. Kohli (47×1, 7×2, 6×4) took 47 singles, 7 twos and hit only 6 boundaries in his 116-ball 85-run knock. With Rahul, he added 165-run partnership to shut down the Australians.
Adam Zampa once again had a poor outing on Indian soil. He went for 53 in 8 overs. Glenn Maxwell did look threatening at times but Kohli and Rahul never took a risk against him. Maxwell returned with 0/33 in 8 overs.
On the other end, KL Rahul continued to aid in Virat Kohli’s cause. Rahul (45×1, 3×2, 8×4, 2×6) in his unbeaten 97-run off 115 balls looked in touch. Since his return from injury, he has been brilliant and that showed in IND vs AUS clash as well. He never made a mistake, was never in a hurry and that paid off.
While he will rue the missed chance to get a century as he tried to get a boundary but instead hit it over the rope for a 6 to win the game for India, he would be proud of the way he played. In the end, with Hardik Pandya also smashing a six, India chased down the target in 41.2 overs with 6 wickets to spare.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Australia Playing XI: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey(w), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
