The Indian Express | 1 week ago | 18-03-2023 | 11:45 am
It was a sultry afternoon at the Wankhede, the first match of the white-ball season, but this could well have been June 7 at The Oval, the first day of the WTC final. Bouncy pitch, seaming conditions, a charging Mohammed Shami and an active slip cordon.It dispelled the myth that the first ODI between India and Australia would be a dress rehearsal for this year’s World Cup. Instead, after turners and paata wickets that the Test series delivered, Mumbai’s pace-friendly conditions gave a peek into what it might be like when these sides clash in London in less than three months.On any other day, Mitchell Starc’s deadly first spell – a prolonged one in which he took three wickets in six overs – could have blown India away. But as India romped home by five wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series, it was Shami’s ingenuity that proved to be the game-changer. Specifically, a 15-ball spell in the middle overs, when he didn’t concede a single run, took three wickets, beat the batsmen seven times, forced an outside edge that was dropped by Shubman Gill at first slip and had an LBW appeal turned down.1⃣ Brilliant catch2⃣ Wickets4⃣5⃣* RunsFor his superb all-round performance, @imjadeja bags the Player of the Match award as #TeamIndia beat Australia in the first #INDvAUS ODI 🙌 🙌Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/xaPDmpRX0p— BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023Breathtaking spellIt was a breathtaking display of fast bowling that changed the nature of the match which, until then, looked like it would be a high-scoring affair as anticipated. Shami didn’t do anything out of the ordinary; just good old Test lengths, aimed at the off and fourth-stump and shaping away from the batsmen.It started with a duel with Josh Inglis. Reintroduced into the attack after bowling just three overs with the new ball – during which he extracted extra bounce from the pitch and got the ball to swing both ways – Shami got pulled for a six by Inglis after he pitched one short outside the off-stump. At that moment, Australia looked on course for a total in excess of 300, given the depth in their batting line-up.#TeamIndia go 1⃣-0⃣ up in the series! 👏 👏An unbeaten 1⃣0⃣8⃣-run partnership between @klrahul & @imjadeja as India sealed a 5⃣-wicket win over Australia in the first #INDvAUS ODI 👍 👍Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/hq0WsRbOoC— BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023It forced Shami to alter his length immediately. He began to pitch the ball slightly up and angle it away from the batsmen, luring them into playing drives. That’s how he got Inglis a couple of balls later, with the Australian trying to play it through the covers but instead getting an inside edge onto the stumps.Shami returned in the next over to beautifully set up Cameron Green. The first ball pitched in the channel just outside off, moved a bit in the air and beat the all-rounder. The second was slightly fuller but swung outside a little more sharply, inducing another play-and-miss as Green went out poking without any real conviction or footwork. The next delivery left Green bamboozled: at middle-stump trajectory, the batsman attempted a half-hearted forward push, but then the ball moved away by a fraction, just enough to beat the bat and send the off-stump cartwheeling.CASTLED!What a delivery THAT from Mohammad Shami 🔥🔥He has scalped 3️⃣ wickets in no time!Live – https://t.co/BAvv2E8cgJ #INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/BymtCPAmXQ— BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023Shami nearly had two-in-two after a similar delivery caught the outside edge of newcomer Marcus Stoinis, which was put down by Gill at first slip – his second drop of the afternoon. But with the patience of a monk, Shami continued to probe the same channel until he got his man four balls later. Stoinis’s failed attempt to drive an out-swinging ball caught the edge once again and this time, Gill dived to his left and grabbed the ball with both his hands.The inspired spell triggered an Australian collapse, as the visitors went from being 169 for 4 to 188 all out.Jadeja, everywhereWhile Shami may have left Australia bruised, Ravindra Jadeja played a no less pivotal role, starting India’s comeback with the wicket of Mitchell Marsh and providing the finishing touch along with KL Rahul after Starc threatened to tear apart the Indian batting line-up.Jadeja was everywhere. He was there to play the mind games – when Marnus Labuschagne was taking his guard, Jadeja began to shadow bowl a few yards away, within his sight, knowing that he has the Australian’s number in this tour – energised the field on a hot afternoon when Australia were dealing in boundaries and got crucial breakthroughs.An excellent knock from @klrahul here in Mumbai when the going got tough!#TeamIndia 22 runs away from victory.Live – https://t.co/8mvcwAwwah #INDvAUS @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/Ct4Gq1R1ox— BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023The most important was the dismissal of Marsh, who scored 81 off 65. At one stage, Australia were cruising to a big total, scoring at a rate of more than run-a-ball. Most of the damage was caused by Marsh, whose only ODI ton was against India back in 2016. Opening for the first time, the all-rounder looked set to break his long 100 drought but Jadeja bravely tossed one up, luring Marsh into a big shot. He fell into the trap but could not strike it cleanly as a thick edge was caught at short third man.Although he didn’t scalp Labuschagne this time, Jadeja was still involved in his dismissal, diving full-length to catch him out at short third. Wickets then kept falling at regular intervals, with Shami’s spell changing the complexion of the match.Shami bowled lengths similar to Starc under lights, with the Australian spearhead probing the channel around the off-stump but getting the ball to sharply nip back in. That’s how he snared Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, who was deceived by the extra yard of pace Starc generated.India looked like being in deep trouble at that stage but Rahul and Jadeja blunted Australia’s aggressive fightback with a patient century partnership to steer the team home. Not exactly a run-fest that had many expected, but it was a white ball Test that India just passed.
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