Sporting campaign-openers can be tricky affairs. The pressure of expectations, the dive into the unknown and the urgency to set a domineering tone can together affect the best-laid plans. In the latest World Cup, defending champion England learnt it the hard way against New Zealand. Seen in that light, India did well in its first game.
Sunday’s fixture against Australia, at Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, may have eventually looked like a walk in the park but this was a tussle with enough tipping points that could have tilted the game either way. What distinguished the victor from the vanquished was the ability to hold the nerve and India did that twice to eventually register a six-wicket victory.
The initial worry was when David Warner and Steve Smith seemed unruffled during their second-wicket alliance. However, India spun a web with R. Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja stepping up and delivering. The trio bowled 30 overs, conceded 104 runs, but most importantly scalped six wickets with Jadeja’s three for 28 doing the star-turn. From being 100 for two at one stage, the visitors slumped to 199 all out.
