Australia v India, 2011-12
Wisden's review of the first Twenty20 International, Australia v India, 2011-12
Jesse Hogan
15-Apr-2013
At Sydney (Stadium Australia), February 1, 2012 (floodlit). Australia won by 31 runs. Toss: India. Twenty20 international debuts: G. J. Bailey, X. J. Doherty, J. P. Faulkner; R. Sharma.
There were talking points aplenty - Bailey becoming only the second player to captain Australia
on international debut, the pivotal opening explosion by Wade, and Hogg returning five days short
of his 41st birthday. But it was a single six from Warner that stole the attention. The left-hander's
switch-hit - or possibly switch-punch - off Ashwin, over what he changed from cover into midwicket,
was so crisply struck that most full-time right-handers would have been chuffed, although its
legitimacy was questioned by former Australian captain Mark Taylor. Sehwag's third-ball dismissal
was a blow for India; even more significant were the meek dismissals of Gambhir and Kohli after
promising starts. The record crowd for a cricket match in Sydney - beating the 58,446 who witnessed
Wally Hammond begin his double-century on the Saturday of the 1928-29 Ashes Test at the SCG -
never had reason to believe a comeback was realistic.
Man of the Match: M.S.Wade.