Beating an Indian cricket team at home, whether senior or junior, is no easy feat. The senior team boasts a formidable record, undefeated in red-ball series for 12 years on home soil. The junior team proves to be just as daunting, making them a formidable challenge for any opponent. After the Australian U-19 team suffered a clean sweep in the ODI series in Puducherry, the action moved to Chennai for the red-ball series. India was expected to continue its dominance, but the longer format brought new challenges. The players were still teenagers, unacquainted with each other, but they demonstrated remarkable resilience and maturity.
Simon Budge, the Australian captain, opted to bat first after winning the toss, knowing that batting last on a potentially challenging pitch would be a difficult task. The Australians put up a respectable 293 in their first innings. The spotlight then shifted to 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who stole the show with a sensational century. His 58-ball innings was a masterclass in shot-making, showcasing elegant cover drives and powerful pulls. The Australian Colts mounted a comeback, bowling out India for 296, giving them a three-run lead. They then scored 214 in their second innings, setting a target of 212 for India.
The game was far from over. India faced a tricky pitch that had started to assist spin due to the wear and tear from both innings. Australia began their chase with a solid start, but it was off-spinner Thomas Brown who struck first, dismissing India’s first-innings hero, Suryavanshi, for just 1 run. The Australians were back in the game! Nitya J. Pandya joined Vihaan Malhotra in a cautious attempt to negotiate the pace-spin duo of Hayden Schiller and Brown. Budge replaced Schiller after only two overs, bringing in the dependable Aidan O’Connor, who had played a key role throughout the match. He had rescued Australia with his attacking 61 in the first innings and contributed a valuable 38-ball 35 in the second innings.
India went into lunch with a score of 25/1, with 52 overs remaining. The Australian attack resumed with renewed intensity after the break, and O’Connor struck early, removing Malhotra with a surprise bouncer. However, Karthikeya KP and Pandya began to find their rhythm, adding 35 runs in eight overs. Karthikeya was particularly fluent, showcasing elegant cover drives and backfoot punches. With Australia switching to a spin attack from both ends, the momentum began to shift in India’s favor.
Just when it seemed India was poised to wrap up the match quickly, Ramkumar dismissed Karthikeya with a googly, bringing Australia back into the contest. Pandya reached his fifty but was soon dismissed by Ramkumar, leaving India in a precarious position. O’Connor then struck again, removing skipper Soham Patwardhan, leaving India reeling at 113 for five.
With two new batters, Nikhil Kumar and Abhigyan Kundu, at the crease, Australia sensed an opportunity. They applied immense pressure on the young pair, using verbal taunts and a tight field. India held on by the skin of its teeth, reaching 127 for five at tea.
After tea, the Indian batters struggled to read Ramkumar’s variations, but Nikhil Kumar decided to take the attack to Brown, smashing two massive sixes in consecutive overs. Kundu, meanwhile, had a stroke of luck, edging a ball off Ramkumar for four. The pressure eventually told, and Kundu was dismissed by O’Connor.
Australia’s seventh breakthrough came when Vishwa’s sharp slider dismissed Mohamed Enaan, putting India in deeper trouble. The match swung back in Australia’s favor, but Nikhil Kumar, determined to lead India to victory, unleashed a powerful lofted drive that reduced the required runs to 31.
With the clock ticking down, Samarth N. joined Nikhil at the crease, and the two began to chip away at the target. As the tension mounted, the umpires extended play to ensure a conclusion. India needed just two runs to win when O’Connor dismissed Samarth, leaving the Indian camp tense. However, Nikhil Kumar remained calm under pressure and hit the winning boundary, ensuring India walked away with a hard-fought victory.
