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ICC World Cup 2023: India prove why they are the top title contenders

India seem to have found the right formula to make a serious bid for their third World Cup title

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Indian batter KL Rahul plays a shot during the match against Australia. — PTI

By Team KT

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 10:22 PM

So what did we learn from the first big clash at the ICC World Cup 2023 on Sunday? Well, it will take a massive effort from the rest of the teams to beat India on these slow wickets.

With three world-class spinners and a middle-order featuring classy batters who have grown up playing on these sort of surfaces, India seem to have found the right formula to make a serious bid for their third World Cup title.

Despite the below par total from Australia, who were bowled out for 199 after opting to bat, Josh Hazlewood produced an inspiring opening spell to drag the five-time champions back into the contest.

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But in Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, India have two solid middle-order batter who can absorb the pressure and drag the team home.

India's Virat Kohli plays a shot during his match-winning knock. — AP
Australia's Steve Smith reacts after being bowled out by India's Ravindra Jadeja. — Reuters

They did just that to help India over a nightmarish start — they had lost three wickets for two.

India's Ravindra Jadeja celebrates the wicket of Australia's batter Marnus Labuschagne. — PTI

Any other team would have crumbled on a two-paced pitch against a formidable attack.

But Kohli, who had a slice of luck on 12 when he was dropped by Mitchell Marsh off Hazlewood, made the opponents pay for their mistake as the Indian superstar's match-turning partnership with Rahul broke the Aussie spirit.

The six-wicket win in their opening game has now set the tone for the home team's campaign where you can expect to see more influence from their crafty spinners.

Kohli went on to make 85 as he masterminded yet another successful chase for India.

His partner in the 165-run fourth-wicket stand, KL Rahul, produced a chanceless knock of 97 not out as India reached the target in 41.2 overs.

"We didn't want to start our innings like that. You have to give credit to the Aussies," India captain Rohit Sharma said.

"There were some loose shots but that happens...Credit to Virat and KL for creating that match-winning partnership."

Australia would be particularly unhappy with their batting as no one reached fifty though David Warner (41) and Steve Smith (46) got decent starts after Pat Cummins elected to bat.

Kohli took a sharp, diving catch in the slip to dismiss Marsh for a duck when the opener edged Jasprit Bumrah in the third over.

Earlier, Warner and Smith combined in a rebuilding job though boundaries were not easy to come by as India's three-pronged spin attack applied the chokehold.

India had used Kuldeep Yadav sparingly in the buildup to the tournament wary of over-exposing him and the wrist-spinner struck two crucial blows.

Kuldeep broke the 69-run stand when he took a return catch to dismiss Warner before Jadeja (3-28) wrecked Australia's middle order.

The left-arm spinner pegged back Smith's off-stump, removed Marnus Labuschagne caught behind and trapped Alex Carey lbw to leave Australia reeling.

Kuldeep returned to remove Glenn Maxwell and Ravichandran Ashwin sent back Cameron Green to reduce Australia to 140-7.

Cummins hit their first six of the match in the 40th over but it was Mitchell Starc's 28-run cameo down the order that took them near the 200-mark.

Defending a paltry total, Australia's pace attack decided to fight fire with fire and Starc set the tone by removing Ishan Kishan for a first-ball duck.

India's poor start became a veritable nightmare as Hazlewood began with a double-wicket maiden.

Hazlewood trapped Rohit lbw with his third ball and Shreyas Iyer became the third Indian to fall for a duck when he slapped the ball to Warner at short cover.

It could easily have been 20-4 for India had Marsh not dropped Kohli in what proved a costly mistake.

While Kohli absorbed pressure at one end, Rahul released it by hitting Adam Zampa for three boundaries in one over as the batters focused on risk-free accumulation of runs.

Kohli fell to Hazlewood but Rahul held firm to seal India's victory with his second six.

"We were at least 50-odd runs short," Cummins rued.

"It was going to be tough defending 200 on that wicket. Their spinners in particular made it tough out there." (with inputs from Reuters)

Brief scores:

India beat Australia by six wickets.

Australia 199 all out in 49.3 overs (S. Smith 46, D. Warner 41, M. Starc 28, M. Labuschagne 27; Jadeja 3/28, Kuldeep 2/42, Bumrah 2/35, Siraj 1/26, Ashwin 1/34)

India 201/4 in 41.2 overs (KL Rahul 97 not out, V. Kohli 85; Hazlewood 3/38, Starc 1/31)

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Team KT

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 10:22 PM

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