IND vs AUS | Three wickets between 30-40 over phase cost us game, admits Steve Smith
BCCI
Steve Smith has admitted that the loss of three quick wickets in the 30-40 over phase, including that of his own, was what proved decisive in his team's 36-run loss to India in the second ODI at Rajkot. With the series level, the two teams head to Bengaluru for the series decider on Sunday.
Though India’s total of 340 for six on a flat track at Rajkot was above par, the Aussies, given their impressive batting line-up, was always in the hunt. The visitors lost their opener, David Warner, early, but skipper Aaron Finch and No.3 Smith consolidated before the Smith-Labuschagne threatened to take the game away from the hosts. Crucially, however, it was Labuschagne’s dismissal in the 31st over, followed by the Kuldeep Yadav over which saw Alex Carey and Smith depart in the space of three balls which turned the match in India’s favour.
"The area where we lost it was losing the three wickets in between 30 and 40 overs and not having someone there that could start to launch. If we had someone that had been out there for a while, perhaps things may have been different but that was probably where we lost it," Smith said at the post-match press conference, reported Cricbuzz.
Prior to Labuschagne's dismissal, he and Smith had added 96 runs at a canter, dealing with all the Indian bowlers — except Bumrah — with relative ease. Though the run rate had climbed above eight, Smith felt that the target was well within reach if they had more wickets in hand towards the end.
"I thought Marnus played really well in his first outing, first bat in ODI cricket. We were going at a reasonable rate at around six an over for a while. We were playing good cricket shots. I thought we timed the run (rate) reasonably well but just losing those three wickets in that 30 to 40 overs but (was) a big dent in the run chase," Smith added.
