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

Australia and India: An Epic Duel in Times of Uncertainty

In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India are preparing to face each other on the same stage where they began their last encounter in 2018: the Adelaide Oval. This emblematic stadium, with its traditional scoreboard and the imposing Moreton Bay trees, will be the backdrop for the first day/night Test that India will play away from home. This clash between two cricket powerhouses promises to be memorable, surpassing the expectations of previous encounters they have held in the last two decades. The mere realization of the series is an achievement in itself. During the difficult months of March, April and May, when world sport was paralyzed, uncertainty about the series was palpable. Despite the goodwill between Cricket Australia and the BCCI, the challenges to carry out the matches were significant. CA’s interim CEO Nick Hockley and chairman Earl Eddings faced obstacles, mainly in logistics for the Indian team’s relocation. Initial plans to land in Perth were modified, going through Adelaide and Brisbane, before finally being defined in Sydney, Canberra, and the SCG. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide threatened to disrupt the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough prepared for multiple scenarios, adapting to the changing circumstances.

“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

Training sessions in the center of the field are a competitive advantage for the Australian team, according to Tim Paine.

Australia A vs. Indians Tour Match

“We were fortunate enough to arrive in Adelaide early,” he said. “We trained three nights in a row in the center of the field at Adelaide Oval, which I think will be a great advantage for our team.” Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the practice match at the SCG, will be crucial. Furthermore, this will be Kohli’s only Test in the series, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the captaincy. The Australians, with their fearsome bowling attack, will seek to neutralize Kohli, who has proven to be a formidable rival in previous series.

“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

Paine, who considered retiring from cricket in 2017, shows no signs of “bubble fatigue”.

“Absolutely not. I love it, to be honest,” Paine said. “I think this hub hasn’t been as strict as maybe the IPL or the one in England. I sleep very 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 could actually make me play longer, if anything.”

Tim Paine

This new chapter between India and Australia promises to be an unforgettable sporting event.