Australia 276 (Warner 52, Inglis 45, Shami 5-51) vs India

This one was bowled with his trademark upright seam, and again on a length on fifth stump. The movement back in was sharp enough to take Smith’s inside edge off an attempted lofted drive, and left both middle and leg stumps flattened.

After that it was some luck that helped India get crucial breakthroughs. On a slow pitch where pace bowlers and spinners were using the conditions well, two successive fumbles from stand-in captain KL Rahul behind the stumps ended up being crucial factors in restricting Australia in the end.

When a well-set Marnus Labuschagne attempted a reverse sweep off R Ashwin in the 33rd over, the ball tickled his bat to hit Rahul’s right leg. That happened only because Rahul missed the grab, but the ball ricocheted onto the stumps, and replays showed Labuschagne’s back leg was just outside the crease. Labuschagne had batted well for 39, but his stumping ended a promising 45-run third-wicket stand.

Then in the 40th over, when Cameron Green seemed to be ticking after a slow start, he dabbed at a ball, which Rahul failed to grab on the bounce. Seeing the miss, Green called for a second run, only for Inglis to respond late. In a matter of seconds, Green found himself three-fourths down the striker’s end with the ball dribbling to deep third, but Inglis sent him back. Even though the fielder threw it wide at the bowler’s end, Suryakumar Yadav was close enough to grab it and break the stumps, leaving Green run-out for 31.

Australia, however, grabbed momentum back when Marcus Stoinis joined Inglis next. They added 62 off 43 balls, as the steady innings turned into one of urgency. Their stand featured seven fours and two sixes, before Stoinis swung across the line at another length delivery from Shami, which came back in and clattered the stumps.

That wicket led to a collapse of 4 for 28 at the death, although the foundation for Australia was laid by Warner’s stroke-filled 52 and Smith’s steady 41. Six of Australia’s top seven scored atleast 29, but it was only Warner who went past fifty.

Inglis’ contribution of 45 would please Australia, though, with Travis Head out with injury, Glenn Maxwell not playing the first ODI and Alex Carey rested. They even gave a debut to top-order batter Matthew Short, who ended up batting at No. 8, but lasted only four balls before being dismissed by Shami.

India’s chase of 277 will begin with Shubman Gill playing his first international game at his home ground, alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad with Rohit Sharma resting for the first two ODIs. All eyes will also be on Shreyas Iyer returning from a back spasm at No. 4 and an out-of-form Suryakumar.