The first ODI match between India and Australia, held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, was a thrilling game that saw India emerge victorious. The hosts won the toss and elected to bowl, restricting Australia to 188 runs in 35.4 overs, with the Indian bowlers putting up a great show. Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj took three wickets each, while Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets. In reply, India went off to a terrible start, with the top order falling to Mitchell Starc and Marcus Stoinis. Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav fell early, leaving India struggling at 39 for 3.
Image Source – Jagran English.
However, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya stepped up and built some excellent partnerships. Rahul’s gritty half-century off 73 deliveries and Jadeja’s valuable 25 not out off 31 balls helped India win the game with 61 balls to spare. Pandya also contributed 25 runs. The Indian bowlers, led by Shami and Siraj, were outstanding in their performance and restricted the Aussies to a modest total. In the end, India pulled off a gutsy 5-wicket win against Australia in the first ODI.
The absence of Pat Cummins for Australia, who stayed home after the demise of his mother, was a blow to the team. However, Mitchell Marsh stood out with his 81 runs. On the other hand, India had to play without Rohit Sharma, who was absent due to an injury, and Hardik Pandya was leading the team in his absence. The hosts were riding high on confidence after their 2-1 Test series win over Australia, but the ODI contests were expected to be more competitive as the pitches were completely different for the white-ball contests.
Despite the early wickets, Rahul and Pandya showed great resilience and put on 44 runs for the fourth wicket. Pandya, who was captaining for the first time in an ODI match, steadied the ship with Rahul and played a crucial role in building partnerships. However, Pandya was dismissed for 25 runs with the score at 83 for 5, and it looked like the game was slipping away from India’s grasp.
But Ravindra Jadeja came to the crease and built a brilliant partnership with Rahul. They put on an unbroken 108-run stand that took India home safely. Rahul played an unbeaten knock of 75 off 91 balls, while Jadeja contributed with a valuable 25 off 31 deliveries. Jadeja had also bowled nine tight overs of left-arm spin, giving adequate support to the Indian bowlers.
The Indian team’s opening duo for the first ODI was Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, while Virat Kohli was looking in great form. On the other hand, David Warner failed to recover in time to make the cut for the Australian XI for the series opener. India announced its playing XI, leaving out Umran Malik, Washington Sundar, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
In conclusion, India’s win in the first ODI against Australia was a great start to the series. The Indian bowlers put up a brilliant show, restricting the Aussies to a modest total. Despite losing early wickets, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya stepped up and built some excellent partnerships. The unbroken 108-run stand between Rahul and Jadeja took India home safely. India will be looking to carry the momentum in the second ODI and take an unassailable lead in the three-match series.
