Australia vs India: Cricket Resurfaces in Adelaide After a Difficult Year

Australia and India Face Off in Adelaide: A Classic in Uncertain Times

In a year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, Australia and India prepare for a new confrontation at the Adelaide Oval, the same venue where their previous series began in 2018. The presence of the historical scoreboard and the imposing Moreton Bay trees provide a sense of continuity, an iconic backdrop for the first day/night Test that India will play away from home. This encounter between two of the most powerful cricket nations promises to be memorable, especially considering the circumstances. The series itself is an achievement, given the uncertainty generated by the pandemic.

Despite the financial forces driving the 12 Test series between Australia and India since 1999 (the same number Australia has had against England in the same period), everyone involved experienced moments of doubt about the viability of the series this year.

During the difficult months of March, April, and May, when the sports world stopped, the possibility of the series not happening was a real concern. Recently, the obstacles focused on the organization of the series, despite the good will between Cricket Australia and the BCCI. The challenges for CA’s interim CEO, Nick Hockley, and chairman Earl Eddings, centered on finding an entry point for the charter plane carrying the visiting team. Initial plans to land in Perth were modified, going through Adelaide and Brisbane, before Sydney, Canberra and the New South Wales government were finally decided upon.

Even after the arrival of the Indians, a Covid outbreak in Adelaide threatened to disrupt the series. For a time, Adelaide Oval was scheduled to host at least one, and possibly two, test matches, given the prolonged quarantine in Melbourne. Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough has had to adapt to the circumstances, preparing a pitch for a test match with a Christmas parade as a prelude.

“One thing we’ve learned with Covid is to live more in the present,” Hough said. “We like to plan months in advance. We still had plans, but we had to live in the moment a little more,” he added.

Damian Hough

The training sessions in the center of the court are shaping up as a competitive advantage for the Australians. Captain Tim Paine highlighted the importance of these sessions, especially in preparation for a match with the pink ball. Kohli’s adaptation, who did not participate in the warm-up match at the SCG, will be crucial to the result in Adelaide. This match is Kohli’s only Test in the series, making it an even more unique event before Ajinkya Rahane takes over the leadership in the remaining three matches. The Australians, with their fearsome pace attack, have succeeded in dismissing Kohli early in the last two series. However, once he overcomes that phase, Kohli has demonstrated his ability to cause damage.

“Everyone has big plans to get the best players out, don’t they? But that’s why they’re the best, they can adapt, they can change with what you’re doing, and Virat is certainly one of the best players, if not the best player in the world,” Paine commented.

Tim Paine

Paine, who values his test career more than most after considering retirement in 2017, shows no signs of “bubble fatigue”.

“Absolutely not. I love it, to be honest,” Paine said. “I don’t think this hub has been as strict as perhaps the IPL or the one in England. I sleep very well at night; my kids are at home, which is good in a way, but I certainly miss them. But I sleep better here and feel fresher here than at home, so life in the hub might make me play longer, if anything.”

Tim Paine

The series between Australia and India promises to be a memorable sporting event, especially at a time when many around the world remain confined by the pandemic.