IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team clashed with the Aussies at Mohali on September 20, 2022, in the series opener of the three-match T20I series. India got off to a flyer and they ended up scoring 208 runs courtesy of Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya's brutal striking of the cricket ball. Even on a batting-friendly wicket, it looked like a total that was challenging, but the Indian bowlers and fielders made a complete mockery of it.
Australia won the match by 4 wickets and with 4 legal deliveries left. Cameron Green who was opening the batting with Aaron Finch in the absence of David Warner scored 61 off 30 deliveries. But it was the last-minute assault by Matthew Wade that acted as the final nail in the coffin. India leaked runs and at no stage, Australia looked in any kind of difficulty and they chased the target down with ease. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the spearhead of the Indian attack in particular conceded 52 runs in 4 overs. This performance hasn't gone down too well with Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar. He has addressed Bhuvneshwar's performance as an area of concern for team India.
Gavaskar further stated:
I don't think there was too much dew. We didn't see the fielders or bowlers trying to use the towel to try and dry their fingers. That's not an excuse. We didn't bowl well. For example, that 19th over, that's a real concern. Somebody like Bhuvneshwar Kumar is going for runs every single time when he is expected. In 18 deliveries he has bowled in three matches against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and now Australia, and he has given away 49 runs. It is almost three runs per ball. Somebody with his experience and caliber, you expect he will give 35-36 runs in those 18 deliveries. That is an area of concern.
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India will now face Australia in the second T20I on September 23, 2022, and they will want to be at their absolute best if they want to stay alive in the series.
(Inputs from PTI)
