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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jonathan Howcroft (first innings) and Adam Collins (second innings)

Australia hammer India in first one-day international – as it happened

Australia’s captain Aaron Finch bats during their run chase.
Australia’s captain Aaron Finch bats during their run chase. Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

And here’s a match report:

That’ll do us from Mumbai. Australia the big winners, hammering the hosts by ten wickets with 12.2 overs in hand. Can India bounce back? We’ll find out when the series continues at Rajkot on Friday. Talk to you then. Bye for now!

Warner speaks. Turns out he was the player of the match, the gong he and Finch shared was for... something else? Who knows. “The champion!” gushes Sanjay as he welcomes the opener to the mic. Warner reiterates the commentary of Finch about the fightback with the ball. Says with the bat, wanted to attack in the power play and were able to finish it clinically after that. He concludes by talking about his fitness as the major driver behind what he’s been able to achieve this season.

Aaron Finch and Dave Warner are the joint players of the match. The captain speaks to the post-match presentation. Thinks the way they fought back with the ball was the turning point after the Indian platform was laid. Says they could be a bit better in the field still but hard to criticise the performance. One game at a time, and all that. On Warner, says he’s been unstoppable for some time now.

Virat Kohli speaks. Totally outplayed in all three departments. It’s a very strong Australian team who will hurt you if you aren’t up to the mark. Didn’t have enough intent with the bat; were too respectful of the bowlers. Australia capitalise. It’s another challenge to bounce back from here but total credit to the visitors. The more game time in any format the better in terms of T20 World Cup preparation. Two more opportunities. Batted four because of how KL Rahul has been going but need to re-think it. Was worth a try having himself at four. “People need to relax. I’m allowed to experiment and try things from time to time.”

Before we hear from the captains in Mumbai, the news from South Africa isn’t good for Jack Leach, the Somerset spinner returning home ill.

Just on the partnership, that’s the second biggest first-wicket stand for Australia in ODIs, only behind Warner and Head who put on 286 at Adelaide in 2017.

AUSTRALIA WIN BY TEN WICKETS... WITH 74 BALLS TO SPARE!

WOW! Warner finishes the job with back to back boundaries. Extraordinary.

37.4 overs over: Australia 258-0 (Warner 128, Finch, 110) Target 256.

37th over: Australia 249-0 (Warner 120, Finch, 110) Target 256. “Afternoon Adam.” Hello there, Olly. “I knew Labuschagne would struggle to cut the mustard at ODI level. He’s contributed virtually nothing today.” Very good. Have any other Australians picked up a Thanks For Coming on ODI debut? Can’t be many.

36th over: Australia 244-0 (Warner 116, Finch, 109) Target 256. This is now the highest opening stand against India in an ODI, breaking their own record (238) set at Bangalore in 2017. They’re four closer to knocking the target off ten down when Finch opens his bat to parry Shami through the cordon for yet another boundary. Warner keeps the strike, eight from the over with 12 more runs needed in 14 overs.



Finch reaches his 16th ODI century!

35th over: Australia 236-0 (Warner 115, Finch, 102) Target 256. He joins Warner with three figures, the ton from 108 deliveries. To think when Australia were in India just ten months ago he was on the cusp of losing his spot in the team. That’s all well behind him now. The skipper gets to his ton with a tidy lap sweep for four. He may have been overtaken now but it was Finch who got this going early on.

34th over: Australia 229-0 (Warner 114, Finch 96) Target 256. It’s already Australia’s highest opening stand batting second, Harsha Bhogle tells me on the telly. Next stop: Finch’s ton. He’s back on strike after a quiet Kuldeep over.

33rd over: Australia 226-0 (Warner 113, Finch 94) Target 256. Bumrah is usually inoculated from harsh treatment due to how carefully teams play him... but not tonight. Warner is enjoying such an absurd hand, he is happy enough getting his front pad out of the line to twice hammer the world’s best white-ball quick through cover for four. It doesn’t get much better than that. DRINKS!


32nd over: Australia 215-0 (Warner 104, Finch 92) Target 256. Stand and DELIVER from Finch! Kuldeep gives him some air on middle stump so the captain clears his front pad to lift him straight over long-off for SIX! That was in response to the googly too, which has been a slight vulnerability for him tonight. Range hitting, they call it. Into the 90s he goes with a couple more, cut off the back foot. I should note that Warner has pulled level with ME Waugh as the second most prolific century-maker for Australia in ODIs, only Ricky Ponting ahead of them with 29.

31st over: Australia 205-0 (Warner 104, Finch 83) Target 256. It continues for Warner, starting the over with a century and finishing it with a magnificent off-drive, giving the fielder on the circle no chance. They need 51 runs in 19 overs.


Warner reaches his 18th ODI century!

And what a shot to bring it up, cutting Bumrah expertly behind point for four. There’s that familiar leap. What a brilliant hand. It also brings up the 200 stand.

30th over: Australia 197-0 (Warner 96, Finch 83) Target 256. Ohhhh! Warner is now batting without anything on his head. He’s going to bring up an international ton without a helmet or a hat. What a wonderful development. He’s four closer to that with a hammered cover drive, pinging Kuldeep to the rope in an instant.

NOT OUT! Yep, there was a thick edge on the missed sweep. A ton surely awaits.

29th over: Australia 189-0 (Warner 90, Finch 81) Target 256.

HAS JADEJA TRAPPED WARNER LBW? It is given out on the field but he reviews it straight away, punching gloves with Finch. He hit it. Stand by in any case.

28th over: Australia 187-0 (Warner 89, Finch 81) Target 256. Michael Slater could not be more excited about how this has all played out tonight. Good on him - I’m probably a bit of a Slats apologist, in truth. He gets another moment to celebrate when Warner jumps across his stumps to glance Thakur away for four more. This reminds me of when this two knocked England over without losing a wicket at the MCG to start the ODI series against England in January 2014.

“Any word on Pant?” asks Brandon Green on twitter. “Know he copped a concussion, was it the ricochet from his bat that he was out on?”

We haven’t had anything further on the TV broadcast. And yes, I believe that’s when he did it - that’s certainly what they brought up on screen at the start of this chase when explaining why the Indian wicketkeeper is off the ground.

27th over: Australia 179-0 (Warner 83, Finch 80) Target 256. Jadeja does what he does best: racing through a 60-second over before they’ve had a chance to really look up. In saying that, three singles come, Finch joining Warner in the 80s.

26th over: Australia 176-0 (Warner 82, Finch 79) Target 256. Thakur to Finch, and down the legside to begin. No good. He’s back where he needs to be after that but with just over three an over needed, they are comfortable with that approach.

“Hi Adam, Hope you’re well.” And you, Ruth Purdue! “It may be a tired topic but can I call for Maxwell to be in the team again? That genius needs to be on the platform he deserves.”

No complaints from these quarters. However, I’m glad he’s been left at home to dominate the BBL. That’ll live longer in the memory than this series. He can then return for the New Zealand matches in March before the IPL. Something like that?

25th over: Australia 172-0 (Warner 81, Finch 77) Target 256. Warner gets into the 80s first, albeit off another edge. He went hard at Jadeja, who did him in flight, saved only by the inside feather of his blade. Sure enough, given the way these two have gone tonight, it evades Rahul’s gloves and runs away for four. The crowd are chanting for Kohli? Or is it Dhoni? Probably the latter, come to think of it.

24th over: Australia 166-0 (Warner 76, Finch 76) Target 256. Australia are on track to get this inside 40 overs - what a performance. Ten more added here, Finch joining Warner in the 70s lashing Shami through point, then drawing level on 76 off the outside edge. It doesn’t matter from here, they’re toying with the hosts.

23rd over: Australia 156-0 (Warner 76, Finch 66) Target 256. Kuldeep now bowling his seventh over, worked through the legside early in the over - the 150 partnership coming along the way, the fourth time this pair have achieved that - before Warner decides to go BANG over long on for SIX! The third time he’s cleared that boundary through the course of this fantastic innings. 100 runs to go.

“This has been a magnificent effort by our Australian friends against a very good Indian side,” observes Martin Fairhurst. “I look forward to the rest of the series - can India fight back? It’s food for thought too for the upcoming T20 World Cup this year in Australia.”

That’s where all roads lead for this Australian white-ball team after this series. They have never won (or hosted) the T20 World Cup before, of course.

22nd over: Australia 146-0 (Warner 69, Finch 63) Target 256. Despite the fact that we’re only 21 overs into this chase, India are just about up to their last chance with Shami now back into the attack. Mindful of this, I’m sure, there are no risks here. Finch did get a chance to cut and did so well but Jadeja was at backward point with the flying stop, pulling the ball down without a bother. What a gem he is.

21st over: Australia 143-0 (Warner 67, Finch 62) Target 256. Kuldeep beats Finch again with that googly, the bails taken by KL Rahul. It’s sent upstairs to check for the stumping his foot never leaves the ground. A couple of singles are Australia’s lot until the final ball, which spins down the legside. Kuldeep, re-bowling that delivery, is insistent that he has Finch lbw to finish but it’s turned down. Kohli, upon realising that he already torched his review, gets in the umpire’s face. In my experience, umpires don’t tend to change their minds after they’ve said not out.

“This opening stand has been antithetical to the Indian approach when it comes to constructing an ODI innings,” writes Abhijato Sensarma. “The openers are willing to take risks and not rely on solely running between the wickets during the early stages of the game. England have proved that you can be successful with this approach, especially by taking out the fine margins which come with lower scores produced as a result of caution. Hopefully the home side’s management decides to put enough faith in the entire line-up to back the top three to unleash their full potential for aggression henceforth, because their current approach seems more outdated with every passing day.”

20th over: Australia 140-0 (Warner 66, Finch 61) Target 256. So, India have burned their review now too. Before the appeal, Warner was given another half-tracker by the usually-accurate tweaker, once again carving it for four. Cruise control.

NOT OUT! He smashed it.

HAS JADEJA TRAPPED FINCH LBW? Michael Gough doesn’t think so but Kohli has sent it to the TV umpire and technology to decide once and for all. Stand by.

19th over: Australia 133-0 (Warner 61, Finch 60) Target 256. Some good news here: Warner has called for his canary yellow cap. When I’m king, the Baggy Gold will return to the kit for Australian ODI players - one day. But small steps. The next is the gold helmet, which they haven’t used for about 15 years. None of this is probably of interest to Finch, the captain well on top of Kuldeep’s top spinner to start the new over, crunching it past point for his ninth four. The required rate is under four an over now, with both openers wonderfully placed to reach tons.

18th over: Australia 125-0 (Warner 58, Finch 55) Target 256. Jadeja has Finch in a bit of bother early in the over, finding his leading edge when trying to tuck him into the legside. But just when the experienced spinner seems to have found a groove, he gives a half-tracker to Warner, slapped away for four past cover. Easy.

17th over: Australia 118-0 (Warner 54, Finch 52) Target 256. India are going to have to bowl Australia out, that much is clear. Kohli looks relatively calm at drinks, avoiding the temptation to give his charges a spray. Kuldeep has been the man most likely so far, at Finch at least, so they are happy enough taking the singles on offer rather than attacking the boundary. There really is no rush whatsoever.

Finch to 50 (for real this time)

16th over: Australia 115-0 (Warner 53, Finch 50) Target 256. With one to cover off Bumrah, the Australian captain raises his bat from his 52nd ball - the 39th time he’s made at least 50 in an ODI. It’s another good set from Bumrah but he is already through half of his overs with 31 taken from them. DRINKS are called with Australia needing just 141 further runs at 4.2 per over from here. Top batting.

Warner to 50!

15th over: Australia 110-0 (Warner 50, Finch 49) Target 256. For real this time, Warner is the man who gets to raise his bat for the first half-century of the innings with a single down the ground off Kuldeep. He reaches the mark in 40 deliveries, the 38th time he’s gone beyond 50 in ODIs. The wrong’un has Finch in a bit of strife for a second time, beating his edge when attempting to cut. In turn, the captain elects to defend the rest of the over. The best set of India’s defence.

14th over: Australia 109-0 (Warner 49, Finch 49) Target 256. Anything Finch can do, is it? Warner starts this new over - Bumrah back into the attack - with another imposing pull shot, giving the sweeper no chance to cut it off. Bumrah is too classy for that to bother him that much, beating the outside edge with one that goes a long way with the angle. Later, in at Finch, he bowls a very similar delivery and cuts the right-hander in half. It’s such a good delivery that after pitching off and clearing leg, it beats the ‘keeper’s gloves, running away for four byes. Ouch.

Finch to 50! (But probably not)

13th over: Australia 100-0 (Warner 44, Finch 49) Target 256. It’s a bit unclear, some scoreboards online/at the ground putting Finch beyond the milestone, others leaving him one short. He certainly raised the bat when smashing Kuldeep right back over his head for SIX early in the over, also bringing up the Australian 100. Anyway, whether or not the personal milestone has been reached (I suspect it hasn’t), this has been a wonderful partnership, going at 7.7 runs an over.

12th over: Australia 94-0 (Warner 44, Finch 43) Target 256. Jadeja joins Kuldeep at the bowling crease and Warner makes an immediate statement, flat-batting the orthodox tweaker over midwicket for SIX MORE! The required rate is now 4.3.

11th over: Australia 87-0 (Warner 38, Finch 43) Target 256. They nearly get one first ball after the field is spread, Kuldeep winning Finch’s top edge via a misread googly. He’s very lucky that didn’t go to hand. As is the custom in the over after the power play, they play the rest conservatively after that near mishap. Of course, the left-arm wristspinner has been extremely effective against Australia.

10th over: Australia 84-0 (Warner 37, Finch 41) Target 256. What a power play for this pair, sticking the landing with 13 further runs before the field goes out. Warner pulled Thakur twice in identical fashion, prompting a ropey bouncer, called a wide. They’re running wonderfully, too. India need something... right now.

9th over: Australia 71-0 (Warner 26, Finch 40) Target 256. Ten more runs are piled on here, Finch striking another picture-perfect cover drive to begin Shami’s new spell, spun around to follow Bumrah. He then overcorrects with an offering that’s too short, slapped away for four more by the skipper. India are in a fair bit of strife.

8th over: Australia 61-0 (Warner 25, Finch 31) Target 256. BIIIIIG from Warner! Thakur was excellent the first time around but the opener has his measure now, popping him way back into the crowd at midwicket for Australia’s first SIX of their chase. Earlier in the over, with his eye well and truly in now, he picked up the seamer over mid-on for four then heaved him over square leg for another. 15 off it. The required rate for the Australians from here is already just 4.64 an over.

7th over: Australia 46-0 (Warner 11, Finch 31) Target 256. Warner moves to 5000 ODI runs with his best shot of the innings so far, a punishing pull through square leg off Bumrah. The TV tells us that he has reached the mark (in 115 innings) faster than every batsman with the exception of Amla (101), Richards and Kohli (both 114). He celebrates with another four, through point this time. Here we go.

There’s some further commentary chat about Marnus’ name, the message through to the box about the Labu-shane preference. That’s accurate to an extent. I was there when this first came up when he joined the team in 2018 in the UAE. He was clear then that the Australianised version was fine with him because it was easier but he was equally happy with the accurate pronunciation being used.

6th over: Australia 36-0 (Warner 6, Finch 27) Target 256. Earlier in the over, Warner was also fortunate to survive a leg before shout from the new bowler Thakur, beaten on the inside edge from a delivery that really hooped in at him from around the wicket. Despite hitting his back pad, it was given out on the field. The technology showed that it would have been umpire’s call had it been reviewed. A eventful and frugal start from the first-change seamer.

NOT OUT! Warner is correct, he didn’t hit it. The decision is overturned by the TV umpire. India were absolutely convinced in their appeal but it is not to be.

WARNER REVIEWS! He’s been given out caught behind hooking down the legside off Thakur. Upstairs we go. Can he get it overturned? Stand by.

5th over: Australia 33-0 (Warner 5, Finch 25) Target 256. Four more! Of Finch’s five boundaries, four of them have been through point, this another square drive from the very middle of his bat. Warner, by contrast, is being kept quiet by Shami. He’s helped by a misfield at midwicket from the final ball, three taken from a compact push. The TV commentators are having the usual debate about Marnus Labuschagne’s name, Murali Karthik making the very reasonable point that it is a South African/Afrikaans name and deserves to be pronounced accordingly.

4th over: Australia 25-0 (Warner 2, Finch 21) Target 256. Finch is flying here, 11 taken from this Bumrah over. He timed the pants off his first boundary, skipping through cover with no backswing required; only a forward push. The second is an even better stroke, off the back foot through point. Exceptional batting.

“Nothing gives me a greater satisfaction than V Kohli facing the mic after a loss,” says Krishnamoorthy. That’s quite punchy! An interesting read last weekend about the Indian skipper and the high-regard he’s held in off the field.

3rd over: Australia 14-0 (Warner 2, Finch 11) Target 256. Shot! Finch gets forward to Shami early in his fresh over, crashing him through the covers for a second boundary, quickly into double figures. Later in the set, Warner nearly does the same but Pandey, on the field at cover as Pant’s substitute, makes a well-timed diving stop. Shami beats the left-hander with a beauty to finish, angling in from around the wicket before straightening off the seam. That’s where he’s so good.

2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 1, Finch 6) Target 256. Bumrah to Warner, who leaves carefully to begin before getting off strike with a delivery that smashes into his thigh pad. Finch’s turn to take on his old nemesis and he pushes him with lovely timing through point for a couple. Given how frequently Bumrah has crashed into his stumps over the last 18 months, that’ll help with his confidence.

“Hiya Adam.” Emails Peter Gibbs, watching with his mum - loyal OBOers! “Happy New Year to you and all.” Great to have you with us. You can also drop me a line.

1st over: Australia 5-0 (Warner 1, Finch 4) Warner is off the mark down to third man, Shami finding the outside slither of his bat second ball. Finch is moving first up himself, throwing his hands at a wide half volley and placing it safely enough through the gap at point for four. There’s an update on the commentary explaining why KL Rahul has the gloves for India: Rishabh Pant is off the field after copping a whack to the head during his innings of 28 earlier. He hasn’t yet been subbed out.

The players are back on the field in Mumbai! To begin, Warner and Finch against Bumrah and Shami, the latter taking the first over. It doesn’t come much tastier than that in one-day international cricket. The visitors’ target is 256. PLAY!

Something of mine to plug, too. For those of you who followed the 1999 World Cup podcast last year, we’re back on The Greatest Season That Was with another walk down memory lane, this time documenting the famous 1994-95 Australia ‘A’ series. Yes, that was the summer where administrators brought a fourth team into the traditional ODI series because they didn’t trust England or Zimbabwe to put up much of a fight for Mark Taylor’s men. It turned out to be an inspired decision.

Some reading during the break. Check out our weekly Spin column, Ali Martin talking to England’s champions from the Under 19 World Cup of 1998.

Thanks, JP. Our man put in a huge tennis shift today before taking care of the first innings. Well played. Australia did that nicely, denying India the chance to explode the old fashioned way with consistent wickets in the middle overs.

You find me watching Star’s coverage in London, where Michael Slater is currently learning Hindi. Just another day in 2020. Good afternoon/evening to you all.

India 255

Australia will be the happier of the two sides at the changeover. They never allowed India to get away from them, took wickets at regular intervals after that long second-wicket partnership, and they will be confident of chasing down 255 with the fast outfield at the Wankhede Stadium, especially if the dew settles and makes bowling awkward.

The three pacemen all bowled superbly, each deserving their multiple-wicket hauls, while the two spinners kept India in check when their innings was meandering.

Not a great day at the office for India’s much vaunted batsmen. Rohit and Kohli both fell cheaply while Dhawan was one of a number of Indians to give their wicket away needlessly.

Find out if Australia can chase down 256 with the incomparable Adam Collins.

Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins, Australia’s golden boy. Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

WICKET! Shami c Carey b Richardson 10 (India 255)

Shami tries to smash Richardson into the sea but can only skew a top-edge high into the air that Carey does very well indeed to circle around and pouch. That’s your lot.

WICKET! Kuldeep run out (Smith) 17 (India 255-9)

Lovely from Kuldeep, giving himself room and drilling Starc through the covers for four, the bowler then overreaches with his reply and flings a wide well down the leg-side. Four more for Kuldeep! Stand and deliver this time, walloping Starc back over his head. The crowd is back into this and India, creeping over 250, have something to defend.

They might not get much more than 250 though because Kuldeep has run himself out, chancing Steve Smith’s arm with a suicidal single and coming a cropper. Smith threw down the stumps from the ring behind point with plenty of time to pick his target. I was only thinking the other day how few direct run outs we see, considering the increase in fielding drills.

49th over: India 255-9 (Shami 10)

48th over: India 243-8 (Shami 9, Kuldeep 7) Richardson returns in the final bowling change of the innings, and he sends down a beauty. Slower balls, line and length, bumpers, the full shebang, and India can only muster three singles.

47th over: India 240-8 (Shami 8, Kuldeep 5) Starc, like Cummins before him, is not a bowler these batsmen are capable of dispatching with ease. Five deliveries go for very little but spirits are lifted in the crowd when an attempted yorker becomes a full toss and Shami gets enough bat on it to pierce the covers for four.

Slightly off topic, but very interesting nonetheless.

46th over: India 233-8 (Shami 3, Kuldeep 3) India’s tail does its best to keep the runs flowing but Pat Cummins is too good to take on. Three singles off the over leaves Cummins with figures of 2/44 from his ten. Another outstanding performance from the star paceman.

Ian Forth, a key contributor to the hive mind, has come good for Martin Fairhurst. “George Lohmann has the best Test strike-rate amongst all bowlers from any country at 34.2 which is a clear 3.6 off second place (qualification: 2,000 balls). Amongst English test bowlers this century it’s Simon Jones at 47.8, while amongst players still active Steve Finn has a 51.2 SR (but hasn’t played since 2016) while Jimmy Anderson’s is 56.1.”

And Pete Naylor has done the ODI maths for goo dmeasure.

45th over: India 230-8 (Shami 1, Kuldeep 1) This has been an impressive performance from Australia in the field. Starc, the ODI wizard, now has 3/37.

WICKET! Shardul b Starc 13 (India 229-8)

Shardul gets a life. He mistimes a very full toss from Starc that looks to be heading to Richardson at long-on but the fielder is slow to move off the fence and drops what becomes a difficult diving effort. Then it’s Shami’s turn to deny Starc another scalp! The on-field decision is out when Starc appeals for LBW after hitting the batsman’s toes but India review and ball tracking indicates leg stump was not in the missile’s flightpath.

Finally, finally Starc has his pole. And that’s the way to do it, remove any chance of a fielder dropping a catch or an LBW appeal not being upheld by making the mess of the stumps with a searing yorker. Sublime pace bowling at the death.

44th over: India 227-7 (Shardul 12, Shami 1) Excellent bouncer from Cummins there on his recall into the attack, too quick for Pant who, I presume, the umpire was expecting to walk. Australia into the bowlers now, but they’re swinging and swinging hard! Consecutive boundaries for Shardul, the first not timed purely over extra cover, the second pulled with the angle down to fine-leg.

WICKET! Pant c Turner b Cummins 28 (India 217-7)

Scenes! No clear idea what went on there but Pant is quite rightly out, caught at square leg after top-edging a swipe onto his helmet. There was a long delay, and the umpire initially didn’t raise his finger, but then Pant tried to pinch the cheekiest of singles, which ultimately prompted his downfall.

43rd over: India 216-6 (Pant 28, Shardul 2) Excellent over from Kane Richardson, nipping India’s resurgence in the bud and keeping the pressure on with uncomplicated fast bowling. He almost had two wickets for the over but Shardul Thakur’s horribly mistimed pull lands short of mid-on.

An email for the hive mind - any ideas? “The broadcaster showed an interesting stat on strike rates with Mitchell Starc atop the list, emails Martin Fairhurst. “Does anyone know who England’s top bowler would be for strike rate either active or retired? I’m presuming Sir Jimmy of Lancashire.”

WICKET! Jadeja c Carey b Richardson 25 (India 213-6)

Momentum shift followed by momentum shift. Jadeja tries to get too cute with a Richardson delivery just short of a length and instead of middling a ramp he just glances an edge into Carey’s gloves.

42nd over: India 213-5 (Pant 27, Jadeja 25) Rishabh Pant’s just changed his blade - is he doing an MS Dhoni late-inning switcheroo to his biffing bat? YES HE IS! A mighty heave over midwicket after stepping down the pitch sails for six and the crowd is on its feet. Agar is a little rattled and he’s lucky consecutive full tosses don’t go for runs. Instead it’s a decent-enough looking length delivery that Pant drills into the narrowest channel and away to the long-on boundary. India are on the move.

41st over: India 200-5 (Pant 16, Jadeja 24) Aaron Finch is now into his death over combinations and his go-to is Richardson, who still has four overs up his sleeve. Line and length is the uncomplicated strategy to begin with, the right-arm paceman angling the ball across the left-handed batsmen for four singles and a wide, inching India to 200.

40th over: India 195-5 (Pant 14, Jadeja 22) Better from India, runs from five of the six deliveries, including a long overdue boundary cut behind point for four by Jadeja. Could that be the signal for a rise in tempo?

39th over: India 186-5 (Pant 12, Jadeja 15) Nine dot-balls in a row for Australia and the run is only interrupted by a single with Pant flicking the returning Cummins down to fine-leg. Five deliveries into the over and Jadeja tries to go over the in-field but he can’t find any timing. From ball six a sprinted two feels like many more, so constipated have India been in recent overs. There’s energy around the ground when Jadeja returns for his second but Richardson’s direct hit from the boundary is fractionally too late for the speedy allrounder.

38th over: India 183-5 (Pant 11, Jadeja 13) Beautiful from Agar, racing through a maiden over to Jadeja with the batsman unable to work anything away to the leg-side with the bowler targeting his hips. Jadeja gets into an awkward tucked position when he tries to leg-glance that limits his scoring areas, all of which Australia have covered.

Updated

37th over: India 183-5 (Pant 11, Jadeja 13) Starc is in good areas for three balls but his fourth is begging to be cut, and Jadeja is not one to decline an invitation like that, and he finds the point boundary. the bowler finishes off the over well though and Australia will feel very pleased with their work so far.

Updated

36th over: India 177-5 (Pant 10, Jadeja 8) Agar’s back to bowl his left-arm spin from around the wicket to a pair of left-handers. Pant, as is customary, is eager to get at the Australian but his forceful strokes lack timing and attempts at strike rotation unerringly find fielders. When he does rotate the strike Jadeja plants his front foot down and swings his arms like a pre-industrial farmer might a scythe and sends a full delivery high over midwicket for a much needed six.

Updated

35th over: India 169-5 (Pant 9, Jadeja 2) Jadeja is allowing himself time to bed in, seeing off three dots before pushing a single into the covers. Pant then almost makes a mess of his time on strike, nearly succumbing LBW Starc two balls in a row but the first ends up a narrow wide, the second saved by an inside-edge.

34th over: India 166-5 (Pant 8, Jadeja 1) Zampa rattles through his final over to end with figures of 1-53. That one being the most important wicket of Kohli, so he can consider it a good day at the office.

Updated

33rd over: India 164-5 (Pant 5, Jadeja 0) India have dug themselves a big old hole, and they need a T20 partnership to get them out of it.

WICKET! Sheryas c Carey b Starc 4 (India 164-5)

Starc returns for his penultimate burst of the innings and he strikes in quick-time. An over largely of length also includes one sharp lifter towards Sheryas’s ribs which means later on when the ball is angled across him he’s flat footed with his drive and can only feather an edge behind. India are going backwards.

32nd over: India 161-4 (Shreyas 3, Pant 5) Pant might have only just walked out into the middle but he’s not going to turn down the opportunity to drive an overpitched delivery to the boundary. 11 runs and a huge wicket from Zampa’s over.

Updated

WICKET! Kohli c&b Zampa 16 (India 156-4)

What a one-two punch from Adam Zampa! First a long-hop that Kohli larrups mercilessly for six, then the leg-spinner holds onto a very sharp return catch after the Indian skipper tried to force the issue in the V. Australia are wresting control of this contest.

31st over: India 150-3 (Kohli 10, Shreyas 3) Three runs from a typically high quality Pat Cummins over featuring a couple of slippery bouncers and the continued execution of a plan to Kohli to keep the ball wide outside his off stump, inviting him to chase with his hands away from his body.

Updated

30th over: India 147-3 (Kohli 9, Shreyas 2) Zampa gets another whirl with two new batsmen at the crease but they’re unruffled. Four singles and a two keeps the scoreboard moving.

Updated

29th over: India 141-3 (Kohli 5, Shreyas 0) Couple of quick wickets to Australia after a long spell of controlled disciplined bowling and now India are in a spot of bother if they want to post an intimidating score.

Updated

WICKET! Dhawan c Agar b Cummins 74 (India 140-3)

Kohli’s arrival to the crease is met with the immediate return to the attack of king-slayer Pat Cummins. The Australian paceman had a good record against Kohli last time India were in Australia and he almost gets his man with a wide tempter that Kohli chases. He eventually gets off strike and Cummins gets the other guy! Dhawan finding a leading edge to a length delivery and Agar making the ground from mid-off to pouch the catch.

28th over: India 137-2 (Dhawan 73, Kohli 2) Excellent reward for Agar for a controlled spell of spin bowling. This match has had more than touch of the old fashioned middle-overs about it in the past hour or so, maybe Kohli will now light the blue touchpaper and wow us?

Updated

WICKET! KL Rahul c Smith b Agar 47 (India 134-2)

Out of nowhere India are two down. Instead of doing his usual strike rotation to the spinners KL Rahul tries to go a touch bigger, but he picks the wrong ball and ends up squeezing a drive straight so Smith at cover. Very soft and unexpected dismissal.

The crowd could not care less: enter King Kohli.

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27th over: India 134-1 (Dhawan 73, KL Rahul 47) The long passage of spin from both ends is interrupted by Richardson’s return. Australia will be hoping for some reverse swing. Doesn’t look like there’s any on offer. Five singles taken with little ceremony.

26th over: India 129-1 (Dhawan 71, KL Rahul 44) Dhawan’s opened his shoulders a few times today but he hasn’t middled many of them. Another attempted big hit skews off a closed face and out to midwicket. Zampa does well bowling to both batsmen, KL Rahul in particular, and after a couple of dots has an appeal for caught behind dismissed by the third umpire for being a bump ball.

Abhijato Sensarma has joined in by email. “Kohli is the greatest ODI No3 of all time, but there is one column too empty for someone of his reputation - the one for the great innings played after entering well past midway through the innings. He’s in epic T20 form though, and has the chance to add to his legendary CV with an aggressive masterclass from his willow today...”. The prospect is a frightening one for Australia, that is for sure.

25th over: India 126-1 (Dhawan 70, KL Rahul 42) There we go, shackles broken, and in some style, Dhawan using his feet and lofting Agar over the vacant long-off for the first six of the day. Nine from the over.

24th over: India 117-1 (Dhawan 63, KL Rahul 39) The intent from India ramps up a notch against Zampa but the big hit continues to elude them. Another boundary-less over, but one that includes the 100-partnership for India’s second wicket.

23rd over: India 111-1 (Dhawan 61, KL Rahul 36) Australia are bowling smartly to well-set fields at the moment, keeping India to singles. Dhawan is trying to create space and angles but he’s unable to get anything away. This match is evenly poised as we approach the quarter mark.

22nd over: India 109-1 (Dhawan 60, KL Rahul 35) Four jogged singles from this over. Tighter line from Zampa, bowling smartly to Dhawan in particular, keeping him honest while he tries to manipulate strokes.

21st over: India 105-1 (Dhawan 58, KL Rahul 33) DROP! Very sharp chance at midwicket after Dhawan leathered a swipe off Agar but Warner couldn’t hold on with two hands diving low to his right. India jog singles from all the other deliveries.

Updated

20th over: India 100-1 (Dhawan 55, KL Rahul 31) Fifty up for Australian-specialist Shikhar Dhawan, followed by the hundred up for India. Zampa’s unthreatening over is worked around the ground, most pleasingly for the home crowd with a wristy flick against the spin over the leg-side in-field.

19th over: India 93-1 (Dhawan 49, KL Rahul 30) Dhawan threatens to work Agar over after carving a near-four two first ball but the bowler responds cannily, first tying him up them tempting him to unleash. He always comes across a smart thoughtful man Agar, and I think I project that into his cricket.

18th over: India 90-1 (Dhawan 46, KL Rahul 30) Spin from both ends with Zampa recalled, but he offers width to KL Rahul who will be disappointed to earn a two and a one from meaty off-side strokes. Dhawan also misses out when a sweep goes straight to the man at short fine-leg.

17th over: India 86-1 (Dhawan 45, KL Rahul 27) Spin variety No.2 for Australia with Ashton Agar’s left-arm orthodox brought into the attack. The graceful Melbourne-born West Australian starts nicely with three dots but his figures are quickly dirtied by Dhawan manipulating a very fine sweep then nudging into a gap wide enough to run two.

16th over: India 80-1 (Dhawan 39, KL Rahul 27) If you beat the ring it’s four on this ground, the outfield is like a golf ball on a runway. KL Rahul gets another boundary when Richardson slides into his pads, while some neat right-hand/left-hand strike rotation keeps India’s momentum building.

15th over: India 72-1 (Dhawan 37, KL Rahul 21) KL Rahul is dealing in fours now, beating the field behind square on the off-side with a streaky drive after Zampa offered him some width. The bowler recovered well but escapes when his first long-hop isn’t put away by Dhawan.

14th over: India 66-1 (Dhawan 37, KL Rahul 16) The outfield in Mumbai is rapid. KL Rahul collects four with a back-foot push that’s drilled into the pitch, bounces over point, and skips away to the boundary. Not Richardson’s finest over but his subtle variations are proving difficult to get away. Despite India upping the scoring rate there’s still a sense they haven’t figured out the pitch quite yet.

13th over: India 59-1 (Dhawan 36, KL Rahul 11) What can Adam Zampa find in this surface? It’s hard to tell from the off because the leg-spinner bowls full with plenty of flight. Four singles, two dots, handy start.

12th over: India 55-1 (Dhawan 35, KL Rahul 9) Cummins continues, and not for the first time today, tests Dhawan’s outside edge. This one was a yard quicker and shorter than standard, beating the horizontal blade for pace. Not for the first time today Dhawan responds in boundaries, ramping fine for four then guiding a back cut that beats gully and races away to the fence.

Time for spin.

11th over: India 47-1 (Dhawan 26, KL Rahul 9) Better from Richardson, hitting good areas with his right-arm fast-medium from over the wicket. He’s landed his yorker well on a couple of occasions, which bodes well for the death overs.

10th over: India 45-1 (Dhawan 25, KL Rahul 8) After that solitary swing-searching over Starc makes way for Cummins to return, but the Australian quick is bowling to a different Dhawan to the one he last challenged a few overs ago. Just the hint of a half-volley is timed effortlessly through extra-cover by India’s moustachioed maestro for four keeping India moving.

The powerplay ends pretty evenly after Australia’s excellent start.

9th over: India 38-1 (Dhawan 20, KL Rahul 6) Dhawan started slowly but he’s got the bit between his teeth now, slapping Richardson well in front of midwicket after the bowler dropped toothlessly short. Four more arrive soon after when Richardson again lands on the wrong length and Dhawan helps him round the corner to the fine-leg fence.

8th over: India 30-1 (Dhawan 12, KL Rahul 6) Very smart captaincy from Finch. Richardson’s over was in part to allow Starc to replace Cummins and have a go with the new ball that looks like it might be swinging (there’s two in operation these days, remember). And it almost works immediately when a beautiful full delivery tails away from the left-handed Dhawan, just missing the edge of the bat, and the edge of off stump. Dhawan counterpunches, hitting fours from consecutive balls, first straight down the ground then through midwicket, the latter a fingertip wide of the diving fielder.

Australia are on top here, India have yet to settle into the pace of the pitch.

7th over: India 21-1 (Dhawan 3, KL Rahul 6) Kane Richardson gets an early burst with the new ball and he finds decent areas in an over that goes for just a couple of singles.

Hi Alex Greggery, thanks for the email. “With the ongoing talk of whether Root and du Plessis can hack the captaincy, I think we should all appreciate the unstoppable leadership machine that Kohli is. I love his hunger for it all. I wish he was captain of my life.” I would also like a life captain, but I think I’d benefit more from the Mike Brearley arm-round-the-shoulder type more than the bombast of Kohli. Heck of a cricketer though, in all formats. Just loves it, doesn’t he? Imagine the pressure he’s under every single day, and there he is, just keeping on loving it game after game.

6th over: India 19-1 (Dhawan 2, KL Rahul 5) Cummins’s third over almost begins like his second, suckering Dhawan into a soft dismissal. This time a short ball invites the ramp and it carries a long way down to third-man where Zampa gets within inches of taking a difficult chance but the young David Beckham lookalike can only stop the four on the half-volley.

A couple of balls later Australia REVIEW! Cummins beats Dhawan’s inside-edge and strikes his front pad with the batsman looking to play to the on-side, but the appeal is declined on the ground - and DRS confirms why - with the ball being shown to pitch outside leg stump. Australia’s solitary review is wasted.

5th over: India 17-1 (Dhawan 1, KL Rahul 4) KL Rahul, not Kohli, strides out at No3 and he accepts a couple of dot-balls before benefiting from Starc leaking onto his pads and glancing for four.

Updated

WICKET! Rohit c Warner b Starc 10 (India 13-1)

Huge early breakthrough for Australia! After that entertaining early over India have struggled to get bat on ball and that’s resulted in Rohit going hard at a cross-seam delivery that confused his timing. It ends with a drive that only just carries to Warner at mid-off.

Updated

4th over: India 13-0 (Rohit 10, Dhawan 1) Depending which way you look at it Cummins either a) got away with a wide half-volley or b) almost lured Dhawan into edging behind with the sucker ball. The outcome was an airy whoosh from the batsman and a dot in the scorebook. Three more dots follow as Cummins settles into a fourth stump line just back of a length. Another dot arrives courtesy of a bouncer than Dhawan didn’t feel inclined to go near, before all those dots are joined in a lovely M to complete the maiden. He is a captain’s dream, Pat Cummins.

3rd over: India 13-0 (Rohit 10, Dhawan 1) Better from Starc, still no lateral movement with the white ball he’s using, but the line and length gives India nothing to launch at.

2nd over: India 11-0 (Rohit 9, Dhawan 1) Nothing moved in the air or off the seam for Starc but Pat Cummins has the ball whispering, if not yet talking. He finds some movement in the air to Dhawan, arcing the ball into the left-hander from over the wicket, then after the strike is rotated he whistles one past Rohit’s outside-edge in a manner familiar to sides all around the world in the past couple of years.

1st over: India 8-0 (Rohit 8, Dhawan 0) How’s that for a first ball? Width from Starc first up angling across the right-hander and Rohit just creams it through the covers like he was shadow batting in his slippers. He’s lucky to escape a couple of balls later though when some suicidal running leaves him miles out of his ground after Dhawan correctly declines a single with Warner prowling. Recognising it’s better not to run if he doesn’t have to, Rohit thumps another cover drive to the boundary. A very entertaining start.

Updated

Mitchell Starc has the new white ball in his hand. Two slips stand behind Rohit Sharma - here we go!

“Run-machine (tick), livewire (tick), phenomenal (tick). Ease up with the epithets there, JP. This isn’t a T20. Pace yourself. Get your thesaurus in, or you’ll find yourself referring to “the above average Kohli” by over 35 , and “cricketer Steve Smith” by the second innings.” Thanks ‘dreadful first email of the night’ Rowan Sweeney. Did I do that right?

The pitch looks flat and full of runs, but it has a bit of grass on it, which will give Australia’s quicks some hope.

It’s anthem time in the middle of the Wankhede. Cricket is imminent.

India XI

The hosts have gone with KL Rahul at No3, meaning the mighty Virat is scheduled down at four, for the time being anyway. It’s a line-up bristling with attacking intent, including the livewire Pant behind the stumps, the phenomenal Bumrah with the new ball, and plenty of variety in between.

India 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 KL Rahul, 4 Virat Kohli (c), 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Australia XI

The headline news for the visitors is the inclusion of Test run-machine Marnus Labuschagne who becomes the 229th man to represent Australia in one-day internationals. The adopted Queenslander received his cap from Steve Waugh a short while ago. Otherwise, two spinners in the same line-up is always notable for an Australian XI while Kane Richardson has been preferred to Josh Hazlewood among the pacemen.

Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (c), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Ashton Turner, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Ashton Agar, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Kane Richardson, 11 Adam Zampa

The weather in Mumbai is warm (28C) partly cloudy, with a northerly breeze coming through. Rain is not out of the question, but very unlikely indeed according to the forecast.

Australia win the toss - and will bowl first!

“Looks like a good wicket, and hopefully we’ll chase well,” says chipper skipper Aaron Finch.

Preamble

Hello everybody and welcome to live OBO coverage of the first ODI between India and Australia in Mumbai. The action gets underway at the Wankhede Stadium at 7pm AEST.

It’s the middle of January and the Sydney Test finished just over a week ago, so the Australian public can look forward to *checks notes* a three-match ODI overseas tour? That can’t be right, can it? But alas, in cricket’s new world order that’s how things roll, and the first of what Kurt Cobain might have called a radio friendly unit shifter - for all it’s shallow context - promises to be a belting contest between powerful sides.

For Australia it is a chance to build on a prosperous summer, one in which the pall of Cape Town has been removed emphatically with five thumping Test victories. It is their first ODI since suffering defeat in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the first step on the road to the 2023 World Cup - in India.

For the hosts it’s also an opportunity to put World Cup disappointment behind them and chip away at England’s lead on top of the ICC rankings. The formidable top three of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli love this match-up. Borrowing some numbers from ESPNCricinfo, since 2013, that trio have scored 58% of India’s runs against Australia. While in the 21 matches they have played against Australia, 14 of them have featured a century from at least one those batsmen.

Remember you can keep me company throughout the night via email: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com or Twitter: @JPHowcroft.

Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Navdeep Saini in good spirits before the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai.
Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Navdeep Saini in good spirits before the first ODI against Australia in Mumbai. Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

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