Game 5: Australia Chooses to Bat First Against India
In the crucial toss at Chennai, Australian captain Pat Cummins decided to bat first. Rohit Sharma, his Indian counterpart, expressed that the conditions were favourable for bowlers and predicted a turning wicket as the match unfolds.
Sharma’s prediction was validated early in the Australian innings when Jasprit Bumrah induced an edge from Mitchell Marsh towards the first slip. Virat Kohli seized the opportunity, providing India with their initial breakthrough.
Unforeseen Changes in Team Lineups
Shubman Gill was unable to recover from his illness in time for the match, leading to Ishan Kishan stepping up to join captain Rohit Sharma at the top of the Indian batting order. Australia also faced lineup changes, with Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis sidelined due to injuries. This led to David Warner and Mitch Marsh opening the batting on a bright day at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Team India’s Lineup:
Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Team Australia’s Lineup:
David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood