IND vs AUS | Twitter reacts as Men in Blue wrap-up series with comprehensive 20-run win in Raipur

IND vs AUS | Twitter reacts as Men in Blue wrap-up series with comprehensive 20-run win in Raipur

SportsCafe Desk

By SportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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India put forth a clinical display on Friday in the lowest-scoring game of the series so far to take an unassailable 3-1 series lead. After scrapping their way to a competitive total of 174/9, the Men in Blue's spinners put the Kangaroos severely under the pump which proved decisive.

After being put into bat first, India got off to an unusual conservative start as Yashasvi Jaiswal played out a maiden first over before inevitably taking off. The left-hander hogged the strike through the powerplay, pummeling six boundaries and a maximum, before succumbing for a 28-ball 37 on the last ball of the sixth over. Shreyas Iyer, playing his first game after the World Cup, failed to replicate his form from the marquee event while captain Suryakumar Yadav for once lasted just two deliveries to suddenly leave the Men in Blue reeling at 63/3 at the start of the eighth over. However, Rinku Singh quickly calmed all qualms with his usual flamboyant stroke-making as he played the protagonist's role in a 48-run partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad who departed for a scrappy 32 in the 14th over. With the innings still under threat of spiraling, Jitesh Sharma joined forces with Rinku to put India in the driving seat with his 19-ball blitzkrieg of 35 runs forming part of a rapid 57-run stand. However, once he holed out in the 19th over, four more wickets ensued in the next eight deliveries including Rinku's for 46 at a strike rate of 158.62, to restrict India to 174/9.

In response, Travis Head extended his excellent form against India by smashing four boundaries and a maximum in Deepak Chahar's second over as Australia raced to 40 after just three overs. Suryakumar Yadav exhibited pro-active captaincy to bring Ravi Bishnoi into the attack and the leg-spinner instantly made a statement by getting rid of Josh Philippe. Partner-in-crime Axar Patel doubled the damage with Head's wicket in the next over as the two spun a web around the inexperienced batting lineup. Axar went on to scalp two more victims with the duo giving away just 33 runs in their combined eight overs and leaving the Kangaroos needing to score well over 12 in the remaining seven overs. Despite a quick 36 from Matthew Wade, the Men in Blue showed no jitters at the death to seal the five-match series with a game to spare.

Banger start

Victory

Wow

Big W

Is it the case?

Crucial wickets

1st of many

Young India

LOL

What a win!

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