The five-match T20I series between India and Australia was to its end, literally, as the fifth and final game of the series at Brisbane Gabba was cancelled because of extreme rain and thunder-showers.
Although there was no result, India won the series 2-1, which concluded a good campaign before their second T20 world cup on home soil next year.
Before the Rain Promising Start.
Mitchell Marsh, the Australian captain, won the toss, and chose to bowl first, however, India openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma attacked at the very beginning.
The duo scored 52 runs within 4.5 overs and this put the hosts under pressure until the gates opened.
Gill returned to his fluent form, as he hit 29 out of 16 balls with four boundaries quieting the Gabba crowd. Abhishek, in the meantime, survived two dropped catches – one by Glenn Maxwell at mid-off, and the other by Ben Dwarshuis at fine leg – and then he hit Nathan Ellis over midwicket with a six.
Lightning caused the game to be stopped and later abandoned because of the continuous rain that soaked the outfield and no chance of the game being resumed.
A Series of Contrasts
The show started and ended with rain, the first T20I at Canberra had also been canceled, and but in between India ruled the two-match series at Hobart and the Gold Coast.
The sole victory of Australia was the one they achieved in the second game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when the home crowd was excited and the ferocity of the Josh Hazlewood bowling put the climax to their advantage.
However, India rebounded like a troop with their spinners and middle order batters dictating the series at slower paces. The team appeared to be calm, confident and well prepared to face stronger challenges ahead under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.
Suryakumar Compliments Team Work.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, in his post-match speech, complimented his team on the fact it was consistent and level-headed during the tour.
“The way everyone chipped in across all games — with bat, ball, and in the field — it was a complete team effort,” Suryakumar said.
“Winning a series in Australia is never easy. This result gives us great confidence before the T20 World Cup at home. I saw how our women’s team lifted the trophy in front of amazing fans — we’ll look to create the same memories.”
Marsh Reflects on Lessons Learned
Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh admitted that frequent rain interruptions made the series disjointed but felt there were valuable takeaways for his team.
“It’s been a strange series with so many weather interruptions,” Marsh said.
“But there are still a lot of positives. We’re building flexibility within the squad, trying out combinations ahead of the World Cup. The energy and intent from the group have been excellent.”
The Strong T20 Core of India This is Shaping.
In the case of India, this show has brought out the increasing complexity in their T20 structure. Children such as Abhishek Sharma, Jitesh Sharma and Washington Sundar rose to the occasion at critical times and experienced players such as Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav brought about normalcy.
With no important all-rounder Hardik Pandya, the team appeared well-balanced and confident – which is a good sign with an international schedule of high intensity.
