Australia vs India: Cricket Clash Resurfaces After a Chaotic Year

Australia and India clash in Adelaide: A Classic with a Taste of Challenge

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 presence of the iconic scoreboard and the Moreton Bay trees north of the field evoke the tradition of Test cricket, serving as 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 promises to be special, exceeding the expectations of the last 20 years. The series itself is an achievement, considering the challenges they faced. Since 1999, Australia and India have contested 12 Test series, a number comparable to the Ashes series that Australia has played against England in the same period. The obstacles to the series’ realization were significant, but the collaboration between Cricket Australia and the BCCI was key. The challenges for CA’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley and chairman Earl Eddings centered on finding an entry point for the charter plane carrying the visiting team. Initially planned to land in Perth, the plan moved to Adelaide, then to Brisbane, before finally being embraced by Sydney, Canberra, the New South Wales government and the SCG Trust. Even after the arrival of the Indians, there was a possibility that a Covid outbreak in Adelaide would disrupt the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has been preparing a test match pitch with a Christmas page instead of the Sheffield Shield games as a leader.

“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 said. “A U2 concert last year was a much bigger challenge than what we’re going through this year. I never thought I’d see a Christmas page at the Adelaide Oval, so it’s a unique year.”

Damian Hough

Training in the middle of the field presents itself as a competitive advantage for the Australian players who arrived earlier than those who played for Australia A against the Indians on a different surface at the SCG.

The clash between Virat Kohli and Tim Paine later this year is eagerly awaited.Australian captain Tim Paine highlighted the importance of arriving early in Adelaide to train in the middle. This is crucial, especially in a match with the pink ball, where adapting to the light conditions and the ball is fundamental. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the practice match at the SCG, will be key in Adelaide, in addition to this being Kohli’s only test match in the series. Australians, with players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, have had success in the past in dismissing Kohli early in the series. However, Kohli has proven capable of overcoming even the most formidable attacks. Paine acknowledged Kohli’s skill and the need to have effective plans against him. The Australian team has a variety of bowlers with different styles and speeds, offering diverse options to face Kohli. Amid tactical discussions and plans for the series, Paine, who values his cricket career, expressed his enthusiasm and lack of “bubble fatigue”. Paine said he feels good in the bubble and is sleeping better. The frequency of encounters between India and Australia in recent years has ensured that this chapter is as vibrant as any other sporting event in the midst of the pandemic.