India vs Australia: Jaiswal, Kishan, Gaikwad fifties guide India to 44-run win, go 2-0 up in 5-match T20I series

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan scored fifties to guide India to a 44-run win over Australia at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.

The Men in Blue came into the contest on the back of a thrilling two-wicket win in the first match of the series in Vizag. Australia added recent World Cup winners Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa into the starting XI while India fielded an unchanged side.

After being put in to bat first, India’s top order scripted history by becoming the first top-three Indian trio to register fifty-plus scores in T20Is. All three of Jaiswal, Kishan and Gaikwad hit half-centuries against Australia as India enjoyed a perfect start in Thiruvananthapuram.

Jasiwal took the attack to the Aussie bowlers in the powerplay, getting to his half-century in just 24 deliveries. He set a new record of scoring the most runs in the powerplay for India in the shortest format of the game.

Jaiswal was dismissed after scoring 53 runs off 25 deliveries and helped India post 77 runs in the powerplay. Jasiwal’s innings was riddled with boundaries, hitting nine fours and two sixes against Australia.

Kishan came in and picked up where Jaiswal had left off. Kishan and Gaikwad formed a crucial 87-run stand which saw Kishan complete his seventh T20I fifty. The left-handed wicket-keeping batter scored 52 runs off 32 balls, hitting three boundaries and four sixes before being dismissed by Marcus Stoinis.

Suryakumar Yadav played a 10-ball 19 cameo before falling at the hands of Nathan Ellis, before Rinku Singh came in went hell for leather from the word go. Rinku and Gaikwad stitched a 32-run stand off just 10 deliveries, which saw Gaikwad complete his half-century before being dismissed by Ellis, as he claimed his third wicket of the evening.

Rinku remained unbeaten on 31 runs off just nine deliveries, smashing four boundaries and two sixes as India ended with 235 for 4 on the scoreboard in the first innings, their fifth-highest score in T20Is.

BISHNOI, AXAR DENT AUSTRALIA EARLY

Australia openers Steve Smith and Mathew Short got their side off to a positive start, taking the attack to Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. However, Ravi Bishnoi turned the game on its head with quick dismissals of Short and Josh Inglis.

The wicket of Inglis was a crucial one, as the wicket-keeping batter had hit a phenomenal century in the first match of the series. Axar Patel came into the attack and claimed the prized wicket of Maxwell to firmly put India in the driver’s seat.

Krishna, who had been taken for runs in his opening spell, came back to deal another blow to the Aussies by sending Smith back to the pavilion.

STOINIS, DAVID GO HELL FOR LEATHER

All-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Tim David hit some big shots to offer a glimmer of hope for Australia. The two batters formed a quick-fire 81-run partnership to get Australia back in the contest.

However, the Indian spinners pulled the game back once again with some disciplined bowling, pushing the required run-rate over 14. The pressure finally paid as Bishnoi claimed his third wicket of the evening as David tries to break the shackles in the 14th over. David departed after scoring 37 runs off 22 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes.

Mukesh Kumar also joined the party and denied Stoinis a well-deserved half-century to effectively break Australia’s back in the 236-run chase. The right-handed batter walked back after scoring a 25-ball 45 , smashing two boundaries and four maximums.

Soon, Krishna cleaned up Sean Abbott before repeating the trick against Nathan Ellis in the 16th over. Arshdeep followed suite and castled Zampa with a perfectly-executed yorker as Australia lost their ninth wicket. Skipper Matthew Wade took the attack to India but it was too little too late for the Aussies as they finished with 191 for 9 on the board, losing the match by 44 runs.

Following this win, India will look to seal the T20I series when they take on Australia at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday, November 28.