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

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, repeating the scenario of their previous encounter in 2018: the Adelaide Oval. The iconic scoreboard and the Moreton Bay trees at the north end of the field provide a sense of continuity in test cricket, a backdrop for the teams led by Tim Paine and Virat Kohli in India’s first day/night Test away from home. This encounter, which marks two decades of almost constant contact between the cricket powers, promises to be memorable. The series itself is a triumph, considering the difficulties that have arisen. Since 1999, India and Australia have contested 12 test series, a number comparable to Australia’s Ashes series against England in the same period. Uncertainty about the series’ realization was palpable during the first months of the year, with the sports world paralyzed. Despite the goodwill between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the obstacles were significant. CA, under the interim leadership of Nick Hockley and chairman Earl Eddings, faced logistical challenges, including finding a point of entry for the charter plane carrying the Indian team. Initial plans to land in Perth were modified to Adelaide, then to Brisbane, before finally settling on Sydney. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide threatened the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to rock concerts and changes to football matches, but this year he faced preparing a test pitch with a Christmas parade 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 in the moment a little more.”

Damian Hough

Practice sessions in the center of the field are a competitive advantage for the Australian team, according to Paine. The captain highlighted the importance of these sessions to adapt to the conditions of the pink ball and the lights, a challenge that requires real-time learning. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the practice match at the SCG, will be crucial, especially since this is his only test match in the series. Ajinkya Rahane will take over the leadership in the remaining three games. With an Australian attack led by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon, the team has had success in the past in getting Kohli out early. Paine acknowledged Kohli’s ability to adapt and cause damage even to the best attacks.

“Virat is undoubtedly one of the best players, if not the best player in the world,” Paine said. “We have plans that have worked well against him in the past; we hope they work early this week, but if not, we have a couple of different plans.”

Tim Paine

Paine, who values his test career, shows no signs of “bubble fatigue”.

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

Tim Paine

The clash between Australia and India in Adelaide promises to be an unforgettable sporting event.