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Pat Cummins, the captain of the Australia cricket team, shared his reflections following a challenging six-wicket defeat to India in their opening match of the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup 2023 in Chennai on October 8. Cummins, who faced a wicketless game, offered his thoughts on various aspects of the game and assessed his team’s performance.
Australia’s below-par batting performance
Australia, having been asked to bowl first, faced a difficult situation as they were bundled out for a below-par total of 199 runs in 49.3 overs. In a commendable bowling display by India, Ravindra Jadeja (3/28), Jasprit Bumrah (2/35) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/42) collectively secured seven crucial wickets, putting pressure on the Australian batting lineup.
India’s early struggles and Virat Kohli’s vital knock
In response to the modest target, the Indian team found themselves in a precarious position, losing three wickets with only two runs on the scoreboard. Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer, all fell for ducks in the initial two overs. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood orchestrated these early breakthroughs.
However, amidst the challenging situation, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul stepped up for India, forging a remarkable 165-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Kohli, who contributed 85 runs off 116 balls, played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings. On the other hand, Rahul remained unbeaten with a composed 97 off 115 balls, supported by Hardik Pandya‘s (11*) valuable contribution.
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The impact of Mitchell Marsh’s dropped catch
During India’s innings, there was a significant turning point when Kohli was dropped by Mitchell Marsh when he had only scored 12 runs. Cummins acknowledged that this missed opportunity had an impact on the game, as Kohli went on to play a match-winning innings and build a substantial partnership with Rahul.
Pat Cummins reflects on Australia’s defeat against India
When questioned about the fixture at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Cummins stated that he has moved ahead of Kohli’s dropped catch by Mitchell Marsh.
“I’ve already forgotten about it! Not ideal, especially for his caliber. Four down for 10 would’ve been amazing but wasn’t to be,” Cummins said during the post-match ceremony.
Despite the loss, the right-arm speedster expressed no regrets about winning the toss and opting to bat on a hot afternoon in Chennai. He also downplayed the impact of the defeat, indicating that the team had identified areas for improvement moving forward in the tournament.
“At least 50 odd. Tough trying to defend 200. (India have a) Really good bowling attack. And facing spinners was tough. It was the kind of wicket you had to get yourself in,” the 30-year-old added.
“Have to have a review. Obviously a tough surface. Its just one game out of nine, no need to dwell over that,” concluded Cummins.
