Australia and India Face Off in Adelaide: A Classic in Uncertain Times
In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India prepare for a new confrontation at the Adelaide Oval, the same venue where their previous series began in 2018. The familiar sight of the scoreboard and the iconic Moreton Bay trees provide a sense of continuity in Test cricket, a backdrop for the teams led by Tim Paine and Virat Kohli in the first day/night Test for India away from home. This encounter, the day and the night, promises to be more special than any other in the last 20 years. The series itself is a triumph, considering the challenges that arose. Since 1999, these two cricket powerhouses have played 12 Test series, the same number that Australia has played against England in the Ashes during the same period. However, this year, the uncertainty about the realization of the series was palpable. In the difficult months of March, April and May, when sport almost completely stopped, the possibility of the series not taking place was real. Even with the goodwill between Cricket Australia and the BCCI, the obstacles were significant. For CA, led by Nick Hockley and Earl Eddings, the main challenge was finding an entry point for the charter plane carrying the Indian team. Initial plans to land in Perth were modified to Adelaide and then to Brisbane, before Sydney, Canberra and the New South Wales government were finally chosen. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide could have disrupted the series. The Adelaide Oval was destined to host at least one Test, and possibly two, due to the lockdown in Melbourne. Curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to rock concerts and changes of football matches, but this year he prepared a pitch for a Test match with a Christmas parade as a prelude.The Australian team has had a valuable advantage by training in the center of the court for several days, something that Tim Paine highlighted.For Kohli, who will only play one Test in the series, adaptation will be crucial. Ajinkya Rahane will take over the leadership in the remaining three matches. Australians, with their fearsome bowling attack, have been successful in dismissing Kohli early in previous series. However, if he manages to get through that phase, Kohli has proven capable of causing damage.“One thing we’ve learned with Covid is to live more in the present,” Hough said. “We like to plan months in advance. We still had plans, but we had to live a little more in the moment.”
Damian Hough
Paine, who values his Test career more than most, doesn’t feel bubble fatigue at the moment. In fact, life in the bubble could even lengthen his time at the top of the game. While the frequency of encounters between India and Australia has generated some fatigue in the past, the events of 2020 ensure that this new chapter will be as vibrant as any sporting competition, especially for those still confined by the pandemic.“Everyone has big plans to get the best players out, don’t they? But that’s why they’re the best, they can adapt, they can change with what you’re doing, and Virat is undoubtedly one of the best players, if not the best player in the world,” Paine said.
Tim Paine
