India suffer humiliating defeat in first warm-up game

Image: AFP

India’s poor run in the one-day internationals continued as they went down to Australia in Adelaide in the first warm-up tie by 106 runs. It was once again a very poor performance with the ball in hand and the match was well over even before India had come out to bat.

Image: AFP

Batting first Australia set up a huge total of 371 runs in 48.2 overs, thanks to blistering centuries from David Warner and Glen Maxwell. Warner provided a brilliant start as he scored 104 off just 83 balls. Glen Maxwell came in late showed the world that he can singlehandedly determine the fate of a game on his day. He scored 122 runs and he consumed only 57 deliveries. He left the field after that to make way for rest of the Aussie batsmen to have a go in the middle. Otherwise it could have been even worse. Coming to India’s bowling it’s better not to dig too much into that. For it was really below par. Mohammad Shami picked up 3 wickets but was too expensive.

Image: AFP

As India came on to bat Rohit Sharma got out quickly edging one to the second slip. Virat Kohli looked good before dragging one outside the line into his off-stump. Dhawan and Rahane tried to steady the ship but just when it seemed that India had a very little chance of staging a comeback into the match, Rahane got run out. Dhawan followed him within few overs. Ambati Rayadu looked good during his stay in the middle. He scored a quick fire 53 off just 42 balls but it was not enough to save India’s blushes as there was very little at the other end.

Image: skysports.com

It was just the kind of practice game what Australia would have wanted to have. And they had it. Their batting was devastating and bowling disciplined. On the other hand India’s batting did click to some extent but the bowling failed miserably. India will be next up against Afghanistan day after tomorrow but you don’t need to be an expert to say that Afghanistan will never be a kind of test that India would have liked to face. Anyway India will get another chance to set the final eleven as the bigger test awaits them which will begin on February 15 against arch-rival Pakistan.

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About Argha Ghosh

An ardent follower of sports and die-hard Manchester United fan, Argha's ultimate dream is to watch a Manchester derby from the Stretford End at the Old Trafford.