India would be chuffed with the way they kick-started the ODI series at home versus Australia. With the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 right around the corner, these matches are very important for the two sides.
Despite not having most of their first-team players, India didn’t break a single sweat. The Men in Blue played exceedingly well and registered a 5-wicket victory against the 5-time ICC ODI World Cup champions.
Batting first, Australia managed to post 276 runs and met with stiff resistance from the Indian bowling department, spearheaded by Mohammad Shami. In response, the Indian openers put on a show that would make the entire nation sleep well.
A win at Mohali against Australia in ODIs after 27 years was the cherry on the cake for the Indians. It is safe to say that India has lifted the monkey off its back.
In this article, we take a look at the top 3 talking points of the 1st IND vs AUS ODI at Mohali, which was won by India:
1. Mohammad Shami’s stellar show with the ball
After slipping into the 4th choice pacer of India after Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Shardul Thakur, Shami had a golden opportunity to prove his form in this series. And he grabbed this opportunity with both hands.
With not a lot of swing on offer in the air, the pacer went the hard yard and bagged 5 wickets. Deservedly, Mohammad Shami won the player of the match award. Shami’s scalps were Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Short and Sean Abbott.
2. India’s openers lit up the entire Mohali stadium
With a stand as solid as a brick, Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad provided a little sneak-peek into what the Indian cricket team’s future could look like. Two shining stars of India shone brightly at Mohali, under the floodlights.
While Gill scored 74 runs in 63 deliveries, Ruturaj Gaikwad amassed 71 runs in 77 balls and was an absolute phenomenon to watch. The duo put up a 142-run opening partnership and they were an epitome of greatness, to say the least.
3. Surya Kumar Yadav finally finds form in this format
After a string of failures in this format, Surya Kumar Yadav finally reposed faith, which Head Coach Rahul Dravid and the other members of the Indian team’s management, put on him. Yadav didn’t shy from adopting a different strategy today while batting.
He didn’t go for a lot of unorthodox shots, which he usually employs in the slam-bang, T20 format. Yadav scored 50 runs in 49 balls and played the entire match with a cautious approach.
The 2nd ODI between India and Australia will be played on 24th September 2023 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Also read: ENG vs IRE Today Match Prediction, 2nd ODI, England vs Ireland, 23rd September, 2023
