Australia vs India: The Cricket Classic Resurfaces Amid the Pandemic

Australia and India: An Epic Duel Amid the Pandemic

The year 2020, marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, finds Australia and India facing each other in the same scenario where they began their last encounter in 2018: the Adelaide Oval. The view of the scoreboard and the Moreton Bay trees, symbols of cricket, will serve as a backdrop for India’s first day/night Test away from home, with Tim Paine and Virat Kohli as captains. This encounter between two of cricket’s most powerful nations promises to be memorable, especially after a year full of uncertainty. Despite the financial forces driving the 12 Test series between Australia and India since 1999, everyone involved experienced moments of doubt about the realization of this series. The months of March, April and May brought the suspension of sport, and more recently, the obstacles to carrying out the series. Cricket Australia (CA) was grateful that the administrators and players of India did not raise significant problems, although the challenges for CA’s interim chief executive, Nick Hockley, and chairman Earl Eddings, focused on securing the arrival of the visiting team. The initial plan to land in Perth was modified to Adelaide, then to Brisbane, before Sydney, Canberra, and the New South Wales government took the lead. The negotiation with the Queensland government generated anxiety. Even with the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide threatened the series. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to changes, including preparing a playing field for a Christmas event instead of Sheffield Shield games.

“We have learned to live in the present,” Hough said. “We had to adapt and live in the moment.”

Damian Hough

Practice sessions in the center of the playing field are shaping up as a competitive advantage for the Australians, something Paine did not hesitate to highlight.

Legend: The confrontation between Virat Kohli and Tim Paine is eagerly anticipated. Paine affirmed that training in the center of the Adelaide Oval pitch is a great advantage for the Australian team, especially in a pink-ball Test, where adapting to the conditions is crucial. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not play in the practice match at the SCG, will be key in Adelaide. This will be Kohli’s only Test in the series, before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the captaincy. Australians, with players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon, have been successful in limiting Kohli in previous series. Paine acknowledges Kohli’s ability to adapt and cause damage.

“Virat is one of the best players in the world,” Paine said. “We have plans, and we hope they work.”

Tim Paine

Paine values his Test career, and does not feel fatigue from the frequency of matches between India and Australia. He feels fresh and enjoys the atmosphere, which could extend his time in the game. The events of 2020 ensure that this chapter will be as vibrant as any other sporting event, while many in the world remain confined by the pandemic.