Indian spin wizardry quells Australian brute force as visiting spinners took six wickets between them in the fourth T20I.
Australia’s power play doused by Indian spin.
Australia’s loss to India on the Gold Coast was the first time they had lost back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals since they were eliminated from the 2024 T20 World Cup after losing to Afghanistan in the Super Eights in St. Lucia.
Australia has won 17 of its 21 completed Twenty20 Internationals since the World Cup, indicating that they have been doing well in the format. However, the way they lost on Thursday did show one aspect of their approach that still has some unanswered questions: how to counter elite spin on slower pitches. At the Carrara Oval, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar combined for 6 for 49 in 9.2 overs.
Australia has been going all out on attack since the start of this long run of Twenty20 Internationals in the West Indies in late July. This is Australia’s most effective T20 batting lineup thanks to their aggressive style, especially in the powerplay, and Tim David’s promotion from his previous finishing position. They mostly just continued going despite a few stumbles against South Africa in Mackay and the West Indies in Jamaica.
Although Akeal Hosein caused a few uncomfortable moments, the West Indian spinners in the Caribbean gave up 9.66 runs per over and claimed just seven wickets in five games. Australia lost just five wickets in three innings while scoring at an average of 8.93 per over against South Africa’s spinners. In three matches, the hosts bowled six wicketless overs of spin for sixty runs in New Zealand, where it was nearly still winter.
Unsurprisingly, though, this series against India is turning out to be somewhat different. They possess an impressive array of T20 spinners. They have so many resources that they were able to remove left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav in the middle of the series and still have three available.
They have undoubtedly made an impression in Canberra after a soggy start. With an economy rate of 7.71, the spinners have taken 12 wickets in three games. World No. 1 Chakravarthy proved to be a formidable opponent even in defeat at the MCG, defeating David in a mind-games match. Chakravarthy once again demonstrated his class in Hobart on a pitch with alluring boundaries, especially when he ripped one through Mitch Owen’s first ball.
Then a trio formed on the Gold Coast. This time, Chakravarthy virtually secured the victory by confusing Glenn Maxwell, letting Sundar to go through the tail after Axar created the initial pressure and took important wickets.
The exact role spinners will play in Sri Lanka and India during the T20 World Cup in February is yet unknown. Along with Kandy and Colombo, the ICC shortlisted Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai as tournament locations on Thursday. However, the fixture list has not yet been finalised with three months remaining. However, it would be unexpected if, during the course of a month-long competition, there wasn’t a pitch that offered a set of circumstances that would test Australia’s strategy and tactics.