Australia’s fast bowler Mitchell Starc gave his side a perfect start uprooting Prithvi Shaw’s timber only in the second ball of the match. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli opted to bat first after winning the toss in Adelaide in the first of the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The spotlight was on Prithvi Shaw going into this game and pressure seemed to have got better of him. Many questioned his selection ahead of Shubhman Gill, who was consistent in the warm-up games. The youngster had to put runs under his belt to retain his spot but a moment of brilliance from Starc ended his stay in the middle within just 2 balls.
Mitchell Starc gives Australia a perfect start
It was a good length delivery from Mitchell Starc angling away from off and then moving back in a touch. Prithvi Shaw pushed loosely away from the body. It was an awful shot, and it was the nerves of playing against Australia and that too in a pink-ball game got him. He dragged it back into middle stump off the inside edge as his front foot was still in the air when he made contact with it.
India were 1 for the loss of wicket at the end of the first over after a brilliant start from Mitchell Starc with Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal in the middle.
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"If he does have a chink in his armour it's the ball which does come back into him…
"Quite often leaves a big gap between bat and pad and that's where the Aussies will target." @RickyPonting at his peerless best for the Prithvi Shaw wicket #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/4nh67zBcpU
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 17, 2020
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Meanwhile, Prithvi Shaw had a poor run in the warm-up games leading to this big contest. He managed only 62 runs from four innings with the highest score of 40 but the management showed trust in his abilities. However, the youngster failed to deliver. He will have one more shot in the second essay to prove his potential and retain his place in the playing XI for the upcoming ties.
Speaking about the game, India will want a big partnership from Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara. All eyes will be especially on Pujara, who finished as the highest run-scorer with 52 runs when India toured in 2018-19.
