Image Credit- ICC
In the first three games of their five-match T20I
series, Team India is up 2-1 against Australia. Just three days had passed
since India’s devastating loss to Australia in the 2023 World Cup final, when
the series got underway last Thursday. It’s interesting to note that a large
number of Australian players who were in the World Cup team remained for the
Twenty20 International series; Suryakumar Yadav was named captain of India,
while Ishan Kishan and Prasidh Krishna also played after the World Cup.
Some former cricket players took issue with the
series’ timing, and former England captain Michael Vaughan voiced similar
criticism. Michael Hussey, a former Australian great, has now also voiced his
strong opposition to the bilateral series’ scheduling, claiming that it is
“cheapening” the value of what could have been a competitive match.
“It doesn’t cheapen the World Cup but it certainly
cheapens this series,” Hussey told SEN.
“There would be a number of guys who were at the World
Cup (for both nations) would probably be in their T20 teams. They got home to
either prepare for a Test series or simply to have a break. It’s just amazing
how much (cricket boards) pack on a calendar to play so much cricket.
“It is physically and mentally impossible to play
all of the tournaments that are going on. This is certainly not the best
Australian T20 team going up against the best India T20 team. I certainly feel
like this T20 series has been devalued.”
Hussey also spoke about the quality of cricket being
played at the 2023 World Cup, insisting that it was a brilliant advertisement
for ODI cricket.
“I might be in the minority here but I think (ODI
cricket) is a great game,” Hussey continued.
“It caters for so many different types of players
(and) over the course of the 100 overs, the better team has more of a chance to
come out on top. The last World Cup was a great advertisement for the game.
There was some unbelievable cricket played. There were some stories to come out
(of the World Cup) that will live for 100 years.”