Australia and India Face Off in Adelaide: A Duel 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 iconic scoreboard and the imposing Moreton Bay trees in the background will provide the backdrop for this encounter, the first day/night Test for India away from home, with captains Tim Paine and Virat Kohli leading their teams. This encounter between two of cricket’s most powerful nations promises to be even more special than the previous ones, especially considering the challenges they faced to make the series happen. From March to May, uncertainty about the future of the sport was palpable, and although there was goodwill between the cricket boards of Australia and India, the obstacles were significant. Logistics was a key challenge for Cricket Australia, with the need to find an entry point for the Indian team’s charter plane. After considering options such as Perth and Brisbane, Sydney was finally chosen, thanks to the support of the New South Wales government and the SCG Trust. Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide could have disrupted the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough faced the task of preparing a pitch for a test match amid an unusual context.Practice sessions in the center of the court are seen as a competitive advantage for the Australians, something that captain Tim Paine did not hesitate to highlight.«We were very lucky to arrive in Adelaide early,» Paine commented. «We trained three nights in a row in the center of the Adelaide Oval pitch, which I think will be a great advantage for our team.» Kohli’s adaptation, who did not play in the practice match at the SCG, will be crucial. In addition, this will be Kohli’s only test match in the series, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership for the remaining three matches. The Australians, with an attack led by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, will look to repeat the success of previous series by trying to get Kohli out early.“One thing we have learned with Covid is to live more in the present,” Hough said. “We had plans, but we had to live in the moment a little more.”
Damian Hough
Paine, who values his cricket career more than many, does not feel fatigue from the “bubbles” and enjoys the concentration they offer. 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.“Everyone has big plans to get the best players out, don’t they? But that’s why they’re the best, they can adapt and 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
