Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist-spin stuns Aussies and other talking points from India's win in T201 series opener

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  • Kuldeep Yadav had impressive figures of 3-13

    India chased down Australia’s revised target of 48 (D/L) in a six over chase with relative ease to take first blood in the three-match T20I series at Ranchi.

    Virat Kohli and Shikar Dhawan saw India home in the short chase as the home side won the tie by nine-wickets with balls to spare.

  • ALSO READ: Perfect storm close to ruining Pakistan’s proud Test series record in UAE

  • Australia captain Steve Smith leaves India tour after shoulder injury

  • In a match which was curtailed drastically by rain, we look at the three key talking points of the day.

    Jasprit Bumrah shows his death-bowling prowess yet again

    Steve Smith was effusive in his praise for India’s death-bowling, calling it the best in the business before he had to return to Australia with a shoulder injury.

    Bumrah showed exactly why yet again in Ranchi after he racked up two clean-bowled dismissals in the very same over in the 18th over of Australia’s innings.

    A lovely delivery straight on middle stump swung in just after pitching to leave Tim Paine no chance as his leg-stump came down rocking.

    The Australian wicket-keeper crouched down at the wicket in stunned disbelief more than anything before pulling himself up again for the long walk back to the pavilion.

    Bumrah’s second of the day was a perfect in-swinging yorker that took off the leg-stump once again, this time it was Nathan Coulter Nile who had to the long walk back.

    Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli see India through after rain troubles shorten match

    Australia’s 118-8 in 18.4 overs looked bad by any standards of T20 averages but it looked particularly horrible once heavy showers forced India’s chase to six overs with a revised target of 48.

    Coulter-Nile had the perfect response to Rohit Sharma’s belligerent six over long leg with minimal effort.

    The Australian pacer removed the Indian vice-captain’s middle-stump after the batsman tried to flick a straighter delivery on the on-side.

    Shikhar Dhawan had missed the entire ODI series to be with his ailing wife but such is his pedigree in the limited-overs format that Ajinkya Rahane’s excellent showing in the 50-over series wasn’t enough to keep his place in the side as opener.

    Dhawan repaid that faith on Saturday albeit with a much shorter target to chase. He combined with Kohli to dismiss the early jitters as the Indians romped home in the end comfortable with three deliveries to spare.

    Kuldeep Yadav’s wrist-spin stuns Aussies

    Australia had recovered well from stand-in skipper David Warner’s first over dismissal as Aaron Finch continued his good form from the 50-over series in the T20 format with some crisp boundaries and a six early into his innings.

    On came Kuldeep Yadav and the left-arm chinaman managed to outfox the Aussies with his unique brand of leg-spin.

    The 22-year-old youngster deceived the Australian opener with a quicker full-delivery to leave the stumps shattered after Finch had telegraphed his pre-meditate sweep.

    Yadav’s second wicket was another beautiful piece of bowling after Moises Henriques advanced down the track to hoist the spinner over mid-wicket only to be beaten by the excellent flight and turn of the delivery.

    All in all, Yadav returned with impressive figured of 2-16 from his four overs.

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