Following India's emphatic 48-run win over Australia in the fourth T20I, captain Suryakumar Yadav credited the batting unit for a smart performance, particularly highlighting the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.
India got off to a strong start with openers Abhishek Sharma (28 off 21) and Shubman Gill laying the foundation with a 49-run powerplay. However, the momentum slowed after Abhishek mistimed a shot off Adam Zampa in the seventh over. In the middle overs, Shivam Dube (22 off 18) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 10) injected some pace to keep the scoreboard ticking, while Gill top-scored with a cautious 46 off 39 balls. Unfortunately, the late-innings impetus was lost as middle-order stars Tilak Varma and Jitesh Sharma were dismissed cheaply. Nevertheless, all-rounders Washington Sundar (12 off 7) and Axar Patel (21 off 11) provided crucial boundaries at the death to push India to a competitive total of 167 for eight.
"I feel credit goes to all the batters. The way Shubman and Abhishek started, they knew this was not a 200-220 wicket. They batted very smartly. It was a complete team effort from the batters," Suryakumar said in the post-match presentation.
Me and Gauti bhai, we are on the same page: Suryakumar Yadav
The Mumbaikar then lauded the bowlers for their quick adaptability despite challenging conditions. He then talked about a unified approach with the head coach Gautam Gambhir and said that the message was clear from the word go, which actually helped India come out victorious.
"The message is clear. Me and Gauti bhai, we are on the same page. There was a little dew but the bowlers adapted quickly. [Dube and Washington bowling] Always good to have bowlers give you 2-3 overs. This combination suits us. People chipping in, raising their hands, bailing their side is great," he concluded.
Sundar causes Australia's dramatic batting collapse
Talking about Australia's chase, it didn't end the way it started. Captain Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Short put on 37 runs in less than five overs, with the former contributing an elegant 30 off 24 and the latter with a brisk 25 off 19. With Josh Inglis at the crease, Marsh motored Australia to a comfortable position of 67 for one. However, the innings suffered a dramatic collapse that saw the hosts bundled out for just 119 in 18.2 overs. Glenn Maxwell was one of the early victims, bowled by Varun Chakravarthy for just two. The destruction was primarily executed by India's all-rounders: Axar Patel (2−20), Shivam Dube (2−20), and the standout performer, Washington Sundar (3−3). Their collective brilliance demolished the Australian lineup, securing India a commanding 2−1 lead in the five-match T20I series.
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