Australia vs India: Cricket match in Adelaide, a respite after a chaotic year

Australia and India: A Duel at Adelaide Oval Amid Uncertainty

In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India face each other again at the Adelaide Oval, the same venue where they began their previous encounter in 2018. The presence of the old scoreboard and the imposing Moreton Bay trees at the north end of the field provide a sense of intrinsic continuity to test cricket, a backdrop for the teams led by Tim Paine and Virat Kohli in India’s first day/night Test away from home. This series, which marks the beginning of a long history of encounters between two of the most powerful cricket nations, is an event to celebrate, especially considering the circumstances. Since 1999, Australia and India have contested 12 test series, matching the number of Ashes series that Australia has played against England in the same period. In the critical months of March, April, and May, when the sports world stopped, the possibility of this series not taking place was real. Despite the goodwill between Cricket Australia and the BCCI, obstacles arose for the organization of the event. Cricket Australia was grateful that the administrators and players of India did not raise significant problems during the tour. The challenges for CA’s interim CEO, Nick Hockley, and chairman Earl Eddings, centered on finding an entry point for the charter plane carrying the visiting team. Initial plans to land in Perth were moved to Adelaide, then to Brisbane, before finally being welcomed by Sydney, Canberra, the New South Wales government, and the SCG Trust. Tensions reached their peak during a long and ultimately unsuccessful negotiation with the Queensland government. Even after the arrival of the Indians, there was a possibility that a Covid outbreak in Adelaide would disrupt the series. For a long time, the Adelaide Oval was scheduled to host at least one and possibly two test matches, given the prolonged quarantine Melbourne faced for much of the year, which created uncertainty about the Boxing Day Test until October. However, the outbreak that forced a brief and strict lockdown in South Australia caused changes in plans, with the possibility of starting the test series with a day/night match at the MCG and then continuing with a more traditional game from December 26. These permutations were on the mind of Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough, who has dealt with rock concerts and changes of football matches in the past, but this year he prepared a pitch for a test match with a Christmas parade instead of Sheffield Shield matches as a prelude.

“One thing we’ve learned with Covid is to be more in the present,” Hough said. “We like to plan months in advance. We still had plans, but we had to live in the moment a little more,” he affirmed.

Damian Hough

Hough added that the preparation for the match, including practice sessions in the center of the field, has been positive and that the team feels comfortable with the game plan. These sessions provide an invaluable competitive advantage for the Australian players, especially those who arrived earlier than those who played for Australia A against the Indians on a different surface at the SCG.

It is increasingly likely that Virat Kohli and Tim Paine will face each other later this year.The Australian captain, Tim Paine, highlighted the importance of arriving early in Adelaide to train in the center of the field, which he considers a great advantage. The challenge of the match with the pink ball and under the lights is significant, as the conditions are unusual. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the preparation match at the SCG, will be crucial for the result in Adelaide. This match is the only one of the series for Kohli, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership in the remaining three matches. Australians, with their fearsome pace attack, have succeeded in dismissing Kohli early in the previous two series. Paine acknowledged Kohli’s ability to adapt and change his game, and was confident that the team has plans to counter him, with different bowling options to maintain the pressure. Paine, who values his test career more than most, doesn’t feel bubble fatigue, and claimed that enjoying a good rest and being fresher in the bubble than at home could even prolong his time at the top of the game.