The Indian top-order batters were in for a major shock on Sunday, October 8, when the Australian pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood saved the Australian batters their blushes with three wickets in the first two overs of the India innings. Playing their opening game of the ODI World Cup in Chennai, India are chasing 200 for the win but the wickets fell in very quick succession to leave the Indian top-order rattled to the core.
First, Starc struck in the very first over of the game to send Ishan Kishan back to the pavilion. Kishan, playing in place of the sick Shubman Gill, failed to capitalise on the chance after he edged the ball into the hands of Cameron Green. It was a momentous wicket for Starc, with the highest wicket-taker in the ODI World Cups of 2015 and 2019 bagging his 50th wicket in the tournament. This scalp also made Starc the fastest to this particular record as well.
Then fell the skipper Rohit Sharma, dismissed by Hazlewood after being caught leg before in the very next over. The skipper was the second player to be sent back for a duck after facing six balls.
It was a moment that will remain etched in the memory of Indian cricket fans for a long time to come, mostly because it is also the first time that three of India's top four batters got out for a duck in a men's ODI. It is also only the seventh time that both openers were dismissed for a duck in the men's ODI World Cup. The last time both Indian openers got out for a duck in a men's ODI was during the 2004 VB series vs Zimbabwe.
Sharing their dismay on social media, fans were livid and disappointed at the collapse that they witnessed. Some were hurt at the heartbreak while others felt this was the perfect position for Virat Kohli to showcase the prowess that makes him one of the most dangerous batters in the world. Here are some of these reactions.
Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja masterfully exploited the Chepauk pitch, leading India to restrict Australia to a modest 199 in 49.3 overs. Familiar with the Chepauk conditions due to his long-standing association with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Jadeja brilliantly utilised the track's slowness, bagging three wickets for just 28 runs in 10 overs. His variations proved too challenging for the Australian batters. Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav also made significant contributions, picking up 2 wickets each, conceding 34 and 42 runs respectively in their 10-over spells.
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