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

Australia and India: A Duel 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 their previous encounter began in 2018. The familiar sight of the scoreboard and the Moreton Bay fig trees provide a sense of continuity inherent 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 between two of the most powerful cricket nations is even more special, considering the challenges they faced to make the series happen. From March to May, uncertainty about the future of the sport was palpable. Cricket Australia (CA) felt grateful that India’s administrators and players did not raise major issues about the tour. The obstacles for CA’s interim chief executive, Nick Hockley, and chairman Earl Eddings, focused on finding an entry point for the charter plane carrying the visiting team. Initial plans to land in Perth were moved to Adelaide and then to Brisbane, before Sydney, Canberra, the New South Wales government and the SCG Trust finally took the lead. Negotiations with the Queensland government were tense and ultimately unsuccessful. Even after the arrival of the Indians, there was a possibility that a Covid outbreak in Adelaide would alter the series. For a long time, Adelaide Oval was going to host at least one and possibly two test matches. However, the outbreak that forced a brief lockdown in South Australia, led to consideration of starting the test series with a day/night Test at the MCG and then playing a more traditional match starting December 26th. Damian Hough, the Adelaide Oval curator, who has dealt with rock concerts and changes of football matches in the past, has prepared a pitch for test matches with a Christmas parade instead of Sheffield Shield matches as preparation.

“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.”

Damian Hough

Hough added that the practice sessions in the center of the field are an invaluable competitive advantage for Australian players, something that Paine did not hesitate to affirm.

It is increasingly hopeful that Virat Kohli and Tim Paine will face each other later this year.Paine highlighted the importance of training in the center field of Adelaide Oval, anticipating a significant advantage for his team. Adapting to the conditions with lights and a pink ball is a challenge, but the practice sessions provided valuable preparation. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the warm-up match at the SCG, will be crucial. Furthermore, this is Kohli’s only test match in the series, making it a unique event before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership in the remaining three matches. Australians, with players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, have been successful in dismissing Kohli early in the last two series. Captain Paine acknowledges Kohli’s ability to adapt and his value as one of the best players in the world.

“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 certainly one of the best players, if not the best player in the world,” Paine said.

Tim Paine

Paine also highlighted the variety in the Australian attack, with different angles, speeds and the spin of Nathan Lyon and Marnus Labuschagne, offering diverse options to counter Kohli. Instead of concerns about Covid protocols and border restrictions, Paine enjoys the tactical discussions prior to the series. After considering retirement in 2017, Paine appreciates his test career more than most, and does not feel “bubble fatigue”.

“Absolutely not. I love it, to be honest,” Paine said. “I don’t think this hub has been as strict as maybe the IPL or England’s. I sleep really well at night; my kids are at home, which is good in a way, but I certainly miss them. But I sleep better here and feel fresher here than at home, so life in the hub might make me play longer, if anything.”

Tim Paine

The series between India and Australia, with the challenges of 2020, promises to be a memorable sporting event.