ODI World Cup 2023: Cooling towels, electrolytes and umbrellas keep Australia going in intense Chennai heat

The intense heat in Chennai during the 5th match of the ICC Cricket ODI World Cup between Australia and India seemed to be taking a toll on the Australian players. They were observed taking breaks on the field to cope with the scorching conditions. 

Steve Smith and David Warner, who were at the crease, even required umbrellas for shade but struggled to endure the sweltering Chennai heat. The match, set in Chennai with temperatures reaching nearly 32 degrees Celsius, proved challenging for the Australian team, as they were unaccustomed to such high temperatures and suffered as a result.

Australia won the toss and opted to bat in the hot and humid conditions at Chepauk. The pitch is favouring spinners, making it challenging for batters to navigate. Mitchell Marsh fell early for Australia, but Smith and Warner steadied the ship with a solid batting performance against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja.

India made alterations to their playing XI for the match. Ishan Kishan stepped in for Shubman Gill, who was unavailable due to dengue fever. Additionally, Ravichandran Ashwin was included instead of Shardul Thakur to capitalise on the spin-friendly conditions at Chepauk. Australia, on the other hand, made a single change by bringing in Cameron Green to replace Marcus Stoinis, who was rumoured to have suffered an injury.

Australia’s struggle against the Indian weather

Australian cricketers have historically found it quite challenging to acclimate themselves to the hot playing conditions in India, and this was evident during the third ODI match in Rajkot. While Steve Smith showed good form against the Indian bowlers, the oppressive heat and humidity presented a greater obstacle.

Around the 30th over of the Australian innings, there was a drinks break, during which Smith had a chair and an ice pack on the ground to help him cope with the conditions. It seemed to provide some relief, but shortly afterwards, in the 32nd over, he once again requested drinks along with the chair and ice pack. Unfortunately, Smith's stay at the crease was short-lived, as he was dismissed by Siraj.