India once again looked superior to Australia in the 1st of the three T20I encounters in Ranchi on Saturday. The Indian bowlers restricted the visitors to 118/8 in 18.4 overs before rain halted the game. Each of the Indian bowlers were successful. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal bowled beautifully along with Kuldeep Yadav. Chahal picked up the dangerous wicket of all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. The 7th over of the Australian innings was eventful.
Chahal bowling to Maxwell is a sight many cricket fans would wish to see. Maxwell is a big hitter of the ball while Chahal never holds himself back from trying out his variations. The first ball of the contest was cut for two runs, next ball Maxwell smacked it for a boundary but Chahal had the last laugh as the batsman pulled a ball straight to the short mid-wicket fielder. The contest was over in no time and Chahal was seen laughing sheepishly.
Finch defends Maxwell
Batsman Aaron Finch, who scored a 30-ball 42 defended Maxwell and said “It’s always tough when someone gets dropped. I’ve been there, I know that feeling all too well,” he said. “Particularly on a tour, you tend to go into a shell, but he was the exact opposite. He was up and about around the group and doing everything to help anybody perform well on the day.
“He has had a couple of unlucky dismissals. He batted well in the first ODI but it was a rain-shortened match. He is batting well in the nets and he is doing everything he can. Sometimes form just eludes you a little bit. But we’ve seen how dominant and destructive he is in these conditions before so I don’t think it is far away. Just a few game-plan tinkers here and there would go a long way in just taking the pressure off himself.” he added.
“He probably feels that people expect him to score at 200 [strike-rate]. Batting at No. 3 is a different responsibility in this format for him. I know he’s opened a couple of time, but he is predominantly a middle-over player. It’s a tough position to bat; some guys love it, some guys don’t. It is one of those positions that can be such a swing type of position in the order.” Finch said.
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