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It seems Australian selectors took India lightly in the T20 International in Melbourne on Friday.
This Melbourne match was a do or die for Australians trailing 0-1. They had to win it to level one-all in the three match series.
So why rest their best batsmen Steven Smith and David Warner in this vital match?
They may be tired but, surely, twenty overs (90 minutes) of fielding would not have exhausted them?
And in the first place, why exclude the in-form T20 batsman Usman Khawaja from their squad?
Beating India 4-1 in ODIs gave Australian selectors a false sense of security. But these facile wins were achieved mainly because of the scintillating batting displays from Smith, Warner and George Bailey.
None of these three were in the Melbourne T20 International.
Australia’s bowling resources have been poor in both ODIs and T20Is. Thanks to India’s terrible bowling Australia could score heavily and win the ODIs.
But with the inclusion of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (who was mysteriously dropped in the last three ODIs) and the introduction of medium-pacer with an unusual action Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian attack had some oomph in the T20 Internationals.
India’s 2-0 win makes the Sydney T20 a dead match. Yet I expect about 40,000 – including 25,000 Indians dressed in their national flags blowing bugles and chanting India jeetega meaning ‘India will win’ – to turn up at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.
So far, India’s Virat Kohli has batted brilliantly stroking 149 runs in two T20Is (90 and 59) without getting out. A score of 51 will give him an average of 200.00.
Would that be a record in a three-match Twenty20 series?
Now to raise a debate among Roar readers.
The Australia versus India Test series is played for the Border–Gavaskar Trophy.
After who should the ODI series between the two countries be named? Warne–Tendulkar? Dravid–Ponting? McGrath-Kumble? Clarke-Sehwag?
And the T20 Internationals after Kohli–Warner? S. Smith–Dhoni?
The Roar nominations are open.