Australia and India: An Epic Duel in Times of Uncertainty
In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India prepare to face each other on the same stage where their last encounter began in 2018: the Adelaide Oval. This emblematic stadium, with its iconic scoreboard and Moreton Bay trees, offers a sense of continuity in test cricket. It will be the backdrop for India’s first day/night Test away from home, with captains Tim Paine and Virat Kohli at the helm. This clash between two of cricket’s most powerful nations promises to be memorable. The series, which has been sustained by the financial forces driving Australia and India to play at least 12 test series since 1999, has been in doubt on several occasions due to the pandemic. The months of March, April, and May were especially difficult, and the uncertainty about the realization of the series was palpable. Cricket Australia (CA) has faced significant challenges, including conflicts with state associations, governments, and broadcasters. Fortunately, the administrators and players from India did not raise significant issues about the tour. The biggest hurdles for CA’s interim chief executive, Nick Hockley, and chairman Earl Eddings, were finding an entry point for the visiting team’s charter plane. Initial plans to land in Perth were moved to Adelaide and then to Brisbane, before finally settling on Sydney, Canberra, and the New South Wales government. Even after the arrival of the Indians, there was a possibility that a Covid outbreak in Adelaide would alter the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to changing circumstances, including rock concerts and football matches. Hough highlighted the importance of living in the present and adapting to circumstances.Practice sessions in the center of the playing field are presented as a competitive advantage for the Australian team. Captain Tim Paine has highlighted the importance of these sessions, especially in a match with a pink ball, where adapting to the conditions is crucial. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the practice match at the SCG, will be fundamental. This will be Kohli’s only test match in the series, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership in the remaining three matches. Australians, with players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, have been successful in limiting Kohli in previous series. However, Paine acknowledges Kohli’s ability to adapt and cause damage.“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
Paine, who values his cricket career, shows no signs of fatigue from the “bubbles” and enjoys the team’s focus. The frequency of encounters between India and Australia has been constant, but the events of 2020 have ensured that this new chapter is as exciting as any sporting event, especially in a world affected by the pandemic.“Virat is 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; hopefully, they will work early enough this week.”
Tim Paine
