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5 positives for India from the Australian ODI series

Cricadium Staff
By Cricadium Staff
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India Champions
India Champions
Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya

 

It was a near-perfect performance from team India against Australia in the ODI series which they won 4-1. Before the series, a tough competition was expected from the visitors but Steve Smith & Co. just didn’t seem like the Australian side that we are so used to watching. It’s safe to say now that it was the might of the Indian team that made the opposition look weak.

The focus of team India is increasingly on the preparation of the 2019 ODI World Cup and to build a core team for the prestigious tournament. The ODI series against Australia was being looked as a great test for the young Indian troop and an astonishing result has brought several positives for the team.

Let’s have a look at the 5 standouts from the series

#1 Hardik Pandya ended the all-rounder’s drought

For so long, India has been looking for a proper all-rounder. There have been a few batsmen who could bowl a bit and a few bowlers who could bat a bit. Finally, in Hardik Pandya, the team has a player who has equal prowess in both departments. Series by series, the 23-year-old is growing in stature and the ODI series against Australia was perhaps the best so far as he was adjudged the Man of the Series.

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He scored 222 runs in 4 innings at an average of 55.5 and a strike rate of 108.82. He scored 2 half-centuries and both of them came in winning causes. In the first ODI in Chennai, he batted responsibly alongside MS Dhoni and bailed the side out of trouble. Then, in Indore, his knock of 78 came in a successful run-chase batting at No.4.

With the ball, he picked up 6 wickets at an average of 31.33. He played the 5th bowler’s role beautifully and more often than not, bagged wickets at crucial stages. When the new ball bowlers couldn’t pick up wickets at the top, he provided the breakthrough as the first change bowler.

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Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya
  It was a near-perfect performance from team India against Australia in the ODI series which they won 4-1. Before the series, a tough competition was expected from the visitors but Steve Smith & Co. just didn't seem like the Australian side that we are so used to watching. It's safe to say now that it was the might of the Indian team that made the opposition look weak. The focus of team India is increasingly on the preparation of the 2019 ODI World Cup and to build a core team for the prestigious tournament. The ODI series against Australia was being looked as a great test for the young Indian troop and an astonishing result has brought several positives for the team.

Let's have a look at the 5 standouts from the series

#1 Hardik Pandya ended the all-rounder's drought

For so long, India has been looking for a proper all-rounder. There have been a few batsmen who could bowl a bit and a few bowlers who could bat a bit. Finally, in Hardik Pandya, the team has a player who has equal prowess in both departments. Series by series, the 23-year-old is growing in stature and the ODI series against Australia was perhaps the best so far as he was adjudged the Man of the Series. He scored 222 runs in 4 innings at an average of 55.5 and a strike rate of 108.82. He scored 2 half-centuries and both of them came in winning causes. In the first ODI in Chennai, he batted responsibly alongside MS Dhoni and bailed the side out of trouble. Then, in Indore, his knock of 78 came in a successful run-chase batting at No.4. With the ball, he picked up 6 wickets at an average of 31.33. He played the 5th bowler's role beautifully and more often than not, bagged wickets at crucial stages. When the new ball bowlers couldn't pick up wickets at the top, he provided the breakthrough as the first change bowler.

#2 Rahane-Rohit's solid stands at the top

Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma
Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma
Shikhar Dhawan opted out of the ODI series to be with her unwell wife. Ajinkya Rahane cashed in on the opportunity big time and alongside his fellow Mumbaikar Rohit Sharma, provided India with superb opening partnerships. Barring a failure in the first ODI, the right-hander scored 4 half-centuries in a row in the last 4 games and ended up with 244 runs. While his partner Rohit was the leading scorer of the series with 296 runs with a century and 2 half-centuries. The duo shared 3 century stands in the last 3 matches as well which goes to show that in the absence of Dhawan, India has a secured opening combination in Rahane and Rohit.

#3 Bhuvenshwar and Bumrah's reliable bowling

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah
For a long time, the Indian team was known for its strength in the spin department but now a number of pacers have emerged that has put the country on the world map as one of the best pace bowling teams. The 2 most reliable pacers for limited overs cricket are Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. With the new ball, Bhuvneshwar provides the early breakthrough more often than not. At the death, Bumrah joins to form a formidable pair. There were multiple occasions in the series where the duo halted Australia's progress after a good start. With the accurate yorkers and slower ones, it's extremely difficult to score off them. The only game where the 2 were rested, India ended up losing in Bengaluru. Each of them ended with 5 wickets from 4 innings.

#4 Emergence of exciting spinners

Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav
Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav
India's intent of giving young spinners a go in the team by resting Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja has paid rich dividends. The wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are the 2 new bowling sensations of the country. These 2 are genuine wicket-takers and even if they are taken for runs, they have the ability to bounce back. Kuldeep inflicted a hattrick in the 2nd game and ended with 7 wickets while Chahal finished with 6 wickets from 4 innings. Axar Patel, who missed out on the first 3 ODIs due to injury, made a merry return by claiming 2 wickets in the last game. The part-timer Kedar Jadhav too played his part beautifully and picked up wickets at crucial junctures in the series.

#5 The Dhoni-Kohli partnership

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has had a tremendous time of late as a captain winning series after series. A lot of it became possible due to the presence of MS Dhoni. Kohli looks up to Dhoni for advice and plenty of times, the duo can be seen discussing strategies in the middle. Whenever there is a DRS to be taken, Dhoni plays a huge role and very rarely, his decision proves to be wrong. The wicketkeeper guides the young spinners from behind the stumps that does wonders to their confidence. Additionally, the presence of Dhoni close to the bowler allows Kohli to position himself at the boundary line during the slog overs. For now, the Dhoni-Kohli combination is working beautifully. Dhoni may not be the captain any more yet he is still the leader of the pack.

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