India v Australia, 1st ODI, Chennai – 5 Talking Points

The much-awaited series between the two powerhouses of World Cricket, India and Australia, finally commenced today at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first as they faced the wrath of Coulter-Nile and Cummins up front.

India was put into the backfoot as they lost half of their side without adding much to the total. However, the spectators were treated with trademark knocks from MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya as India posted a competitive total of 281 from nowhere.

After a two-hour delay due to a drizzle, the Australian had to chase down 164 in just 21 overs by DLS method. Indian bowlers were clinical in their performance as they restricted the Aussies to 139. Hardik Pandya was adjudged as the man of the match for his all-around efforts and India take a 1-0 lead in the five-match ODI with their 26 runs win.

Here are the five talking points of the match

1. Early Spells from Coulter-Nile and Cummins

Looking at the heaps of runs scored when Australia toured India for an ODI series back in 2013, India was expected to fire all guns blazing in what looked like a batsman paradise. However, it turned out to be an absolute anti-climax after Kohli won the toss and elected to field first.

Indians had no answer to the pace, bounce and movement generated by Nathan Coulter-Nile and Pat Cummins up front so much so that they were reduced to 11-3 by the end of five overs. Coulter-Nile was the architect of destruction for the Aussies as he clinched 3 wickets during the phase.

Even Cummins would have cinched the wicket of Rohit Sharma had Steve Smith held on to the catch at slips. The opening bowlers made use of the conditions in Chennai which resembled that in Australia.

2. Hardik Pandya’s blitzkrieg

After Rohit Sharma and Kedar Jadhav joined the top order in the pavilion, India was reduced to 87-5 and in came Hardik Pandya to join MS Dhoni at the other end. After cruising through the first 30 balls, milking the field, Pandya unleashed his brilliance as soon as he saw Adam Zampa in the 36th over.

That over, changed the course of the game in essence as Zampa conceded 24 runs in the over. Pandya smashed three consecutive sixes and a boundary. He ended up with a priceless knock of 83 off just 66 balls, smashing 5 fours and 5 sixes in his destructive knock.

When Pandya walked in, the score of even 220 looked distant. Thanks to the blitzkrieg from the Mumbai Indians all-rounder and finishing efforts from MSD, India went on to post a formidable total of 281 in front of Aussies. If his contribution with the bat wasn’t enough, he came back with the ball and picked up the important wickets of Smith and Head.

3. MSD special at Chepauk

‘Cometh the hour, Cometh the Champion’ as they say. MS Dhoni, for the nth time, took his team to a position of solidarity from nowhere. India was tottering at 87-5 before MS Dhoni stitched a couple of match-defining partnership with Hardik Pandya first (118 of 116) and followed it up with another vital partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (72 of 53).

He anchored the innings when required and finished with a flurry for his 88-ball 79, scoring 4 sixes and two monumental sixes. Even Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave ample support to MSD and scored a priceless cameo of 32 off just 30 balls, smashing five boundaries in the innings. Dhoni also brought his 100th half century in his international career.

4. Australian batting collapse

After almost two and a half hours of delay due to light drizzles, Australians were given a target of 164 in 21 overs applying DLS rule. Australia never looked comfortable in the chases barring the onslaught from Glenn Maxwell.

Australia lost a bundle of wickets up front and was reduced to 35-4 as they lost the likes of Warner, Smith, Cartwright and Travis Head cheaply.

Except for Faulkner, none of the Australian batsmen managed to remain long in the innings as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals causing a batting collapse. The visitors lost 9 wickets in their allotted 21 overs.

5. Indian bowlers keeping the Aussies humble

Indians had only 164 runs to work with before the start of the second innings. Indian bowlers came out all guns blazing as they kept chipping in with wickets at regular intervals. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were the stars of the show as they shared 5 wickets between each other.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah gave a brilliant start to the Indians as they picked up a wicket each. All in all, it was a clinical performance from the bowling unit and helped India overhaul Australia.