Australia’s boundary-hungry T20 batsmen need to curb their desire to play too many big shots in the middle overs, according to opener David Warner.
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But Smith was far from impressed with Kohli’s antics.
“We let ourselves down in the field and obviously an unbelievable innings by Virat – he’s hard to stop when he gets going”, Finch said.
Kohli’s 90* helped India post 188, which looked like a par score before India’s spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja came to the party and eventually India won the game by 37 runs.
Captain Aaron Finch top-scored with 44 from 33 balls but was the only Australian batsman to make an imprint – Steve Smith (21) was the only other to pass 17.
The Delhi batsman remeained unbeaten on 90 runs, smashing nine fours and two sixes during his 55-ball stint.
In reply, Australia got off to a thunderous start before they stifled in their chase and were eventually bundled out for 151 within 19.3 overs.
Kohli was declared the man of the match for his superb knock.
Australia’s Test off-spinner Nathan Lyon also gets the chance for his first T20 worldwide cap in an enlarged squad.
Pacer Shaun Tait has been recalled by Australia after an absence of nearly five years and the 32-year-old will aim to use the conditions to good effect and mark a memorable comeback in global cricket.
With the World T20 on the horizon, tournament hosts India will take great confidence from a comprehensive win, while Australia’s experimental side was left lacking in all departments.
“I really like playing here, would like to take the pitch to everywhere I go. It was my fault and I’ve just got to be better next time”. When Jadeja had Travis Head leg-before, Australia had lost three for four in the space of 2.1 overs. He began the innings in right earnest with a 20 ball 31 that put India on a firm footing early on.
Australia were going strong during their chase of 189 after scoring 82 for one in the first eight overs. He made 41 off 34 balls before he was rattled by Faulkner in the last over.
The Indians, propelled by vice-captain Kohli, emphatically took a 1-0 lead in the three-game series ahead of matches in Melbourne on Friday and Sydney on Sunday. “It was a good batting strip, the ball came nicely on to the bat, I could play my shots”. The debutant returned later to castle the unsafe James Faulkner with a yorker in the 18th over and wrapped up the Australian innings with the wicket of Cameron Boyce in the last over.
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“At the end of the day, no-one means to drop them”, he said.
