Kuldeep, Bumrah star as India goes 1-0 up
There were flashes of lightning on Saturday (October 7) evening, but no sign of rain in the afternoon as was the pattern for the past two days in Ranchi. But rain eventually made an appearance towards the end of Australia's innings in the first Twenty20 International at the JSCA Stadium against India.
The weather, thankfully, cleared and with the DLS target 48 in six overs, India got there with three balls to spare to complete a nine-wicket win.
Rohit Sharma hit a six off Nathan Coulter-Nile's first ball before having his woodwork re-arranged, becoming the seventh batsman to be bowled in the game. But that was the only blip for the hosts as Shikhar Dhawan (15 not out) and Virat Kohli (22 not out) raced to the finish line.
India had earlier reduced Australia to 118 for 8 in 18.4 overs when weather intervened, with Kuldeep Yadav finishing with 2 for 16 and Jasprit Bumrah taking 2 for 17.
The responsibility of captaincy usually brings the best out of David Warner -- just take a look at his numbers in the past few editions of Indian Premier League. But this time around, having to step in after Cricket Australia felt it was best that Steven Smith return home after a shoulder injury, things didn't go as planned. For him or Australia.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a bit wide and Warner edged it onto the stumps in the first over. That brought Glenn Maxwell to the crease, but he was more buttoned up than usual while Aaron Finch successfully broke the shackles.
Yuzvendra Chahal didn't even have to do anything special as Maxwell slapped a poor delivery begging to be hit straight to mid on after a 16-ball 17. Kuldeep then joined the party, sneaking one through Finch's defenses to send him back for a 30-ball 42, the top score of Australia's innings.
It exposed Australia's middle order, and India helped itself to some more wickets. Moises Henriques and Travis fell for single-digit scores, and though Tim Paine was reprieved twice -- a rare missed stumping from Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar dropping a sitter on the boundary -- he fell soon after to Bumrah. The pacer then made it two from the over, removing Coulter-Nile as well.
Dan Christian then contrived to run himself out, testing Virat Kohli's throw, before the rain gods decided to put Australia out of its misery. They did, however, relent in the nick of time to let India wrap up the game.
