Ravi Ashwin sad with India’s close loss in 1st T20I but predicts a ‘cracking’ series ahead
Ashwin, who is not part of the T20I squad but will join it for the four-Test series starting after the limited-overs format.
India lost the opening match of the three-game T20I series against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, on Wednesday by just four runs. The visitors were given a target of 174 by the Duckworth-Lewis Stern Method after rain interrupted the match during the Australian innings. Though opener Shikhar Dhawan (76) and seasoned Dinesh Karthik (30) scored briskly, yet India failed to reach home.
Virat Kohli earlier won the toss and asked the hosts to bat. Glenn Maxwell scored 46 off 24 balls while Chris Lynn slammed 37 off 20 to take Australia to 158 for 4 in 17 overs when the match was halted. Kuldeep Yadav was the best of the Indian bowlers with 2 for 24. India were asked to score 16 runs more than the Australian total and it proved to be a little too many for the visitors. The failure of India’s two big guns – opener Rohit Sharma (7) and Kohli (4) also didn’t help things for them.
Reactions poured in after the game which left the Indian supporters disappointed. However, seeing the way the first T20I went, many were hopeful about an absorbing series to unfold over the next few days. One among them is ace Indian off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, who is not part of the T20I squad but will join it for the four-Test series starting after the limited-overs format.
In a tweet, the senior bowler expressed disappointment that the “closely fought” game didn’t go India’s way. He nevertheless predicted that the series will be a “cracking” one.
Ashwin had a little exchange with fans on Twitter
Ashwin also said in another tweet that the big-sized grounds in Australia make them a bowlers’ delight at which a few fans took a dig at him over his bowling performance Down Under but the bowler didn’t choose to ignore them and replied.
India will take on Australia in the do-or-die second T20I in Melbourne on November 23. India had defeated the Kangaroos in all three matches of the T20I series that played Down Under in 2016. Ashwin, who suffered an injury in the Test series in England and has not played much international cricket since then, was part of that series.
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