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 at the north end of the field provide a sense of continuity, an essential element in test cricket, and will serve 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, which marks two decades of almost constant contact between these cricket powers, promises to be memorable. The series itself is an achievement, considering the challenges that the sports world faced this year. The initial difficulties in organizing the series were significant, from finding a port of entry for the Indian team’s charter plane to negotiations with the authorities. The original plan to land in Perth was modified to Adelaide and then to Brisbane, before Sydney, Canberra, the New South Wales government and the SCG Trust were finally chosen. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide threatened to disrupt the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to the circumstances, preparing a pitch for a test match with unusual preparation.Training sessions in the center of the field are shaping up as a competitive advantage for the Australians, something that Paine did not hesitate to highlight.“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
Image: Virat Kohli and Tim Paine
Paine highlighted the importance of training in the center of the field at Adelaide Oval, which he considers a great advantage for his 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 match in the series before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership. Australians, with players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, have succeeded in dismissing Kohli early in the last two series. The challenge for Australia is to maintain their strategy and prevent Kohli from causing damage.Paine also expressed his satisfaction with the “bubble” environment and how it has helped him rest and feel better. In a year marked by uncertainty, this clash between Australia and India promises to be a memorable sporting event.“Everyone has big plans to get the best players out, 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
