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

Australia and India: Epic Duel in Adelaide

In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India prepare to face each other on the same stage where they began their previous encounter in 2018: the Adelaide Oval. The view of the scoreboard and the iconic Moreton Bay trees at the north end of the field provide a sense of continuity, an essential element in Test cricket, and will serve as the backdrop for the teams of Tim Paine and Virat Kohli in India’s first day/night Test away from home. This encounter between two of the most powerful cricket nations promises to be even more special than any other match in the last 20 years. The series, by itself, is already an achievement. After difficult months, where the world of sport was severely affected, the uncertainty about the series taking place was palpable. Cricket Australia (CA) thanks the support of the Indian administrators and players, who did not present significant inconveniences during the tour. 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. Initial plans to land in Perth were moved to Adelaide, then to Brisbane, before finally being defined by Sydney, Canberra, the New South Wales government and the SCG Trust. Negotiations with the Queensland government were tense and ultimately unsuccessful. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide put the series at risk. 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. Damian Hough, curator of the Adelaide Oval, has had to adapt to rock concerts and changes in football matches, but this year he has prepared a pitch for a test match with a Christmas parade instead of the Sheffield Shield matches as a prelude.

“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 the moment a little more.”

Damian Hough

The training sessions in the center of the court are shaping up as an invaluable competitive advantage for the members of the Australian team who arrived before those who played for Australia A against the Indians on a different surface at the SCG, something that Paine did not hesitate to affirm.

It is increasingly likely that Virat Kohli and Tim Paine will face each other later this year.Paine highlighted the importance of arriving early in Adelaide and training in the center of the pitch, which he considered a significant advantage for his team. Adjusting to the conditions, especially with the pink ball and under the lights, is a challenge. However, the three nights of training at the Adelaide Oval have been beneficial for the batsmen and bowlers, allowing them to adapt and refresh their memory of the previous year. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the warm-up match at the SCG, will be crucial to the result in Adelaide. Furthermore, this will be Kohli’s only test match in the series, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the captaincy for the remaining three matches. The Australians, with their fearsome attack (Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon), have succeeded in dismissing Kohli early in the previous two series. Overcoming that phase is key, as Kohli has demonstrated his ability to damage even the most formidable attack.

“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

On the eve of the series, tactical discussions and plans, rather than Covid protocols and border restrictions, offer a respite. Paine, who cherishes his test cricket career more than most, doesn’t feel “bubble fatigue” and is enjoying the experience. Life in the bubble could even lengthen his time at the top of the game.

The events of 2020 have ensured that this new chapter is as vibrant as any sporting competition, at a time when many around the world remain confined by the pandemic.