Brisbane, Nov 8 (IANS) Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden feels India have gained rich insights about the Mitchell Marsh-led side, following the visitors’ clinching a 2-1 T20I series win. India managed to win the series after rain washed out their fifth and final T20I against Australia at The Gabba on Saturday.

“India will certainly be pleased with their options. They’ve gained valuable insights into their opponents, particularly Australia, who will be a serious contender in the World Cup. This series has been a learning curve for both teams.”

“India appears to be figuring out how to tackle the off-pace bowling typically seen in international cricket, balancing between backing their power hitters and devising strategies to manage totals carefully—a style not usually associated with Australia,” said Hayden on JioStar.

He also pointed to the depth in India’s bowling unit and the destructive potential of the top order, even without having wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the playing eleven. “Credit to India for adapting quickly on these pitches and developing a solid rhythm and game plan in this intense format, which is arguably more challenging than longer versions due to the high-pressure nature of every ball.”

“Suryakumar Yadav has been a steady presence at the top order, and while he aims to elevate his performances further before the World Cup, the bowling department is well-rounded. Their pace attack covers all bases, and the spin bowlers contribute not just with the ball but also in batting and fielding.”

“The top order has demonstrated destructive potential, even with uncertainties like the absence of Sanju Samson. Overall, India is in a strong position with good problems to solve,” elaborated Hayden.

Turning his attention to Australia’s batting composition, Hayden noted the side is still searching for a settled rhythm, especially on subcontinental pitches. “The situation is quite different now compared to Australia’s past when we had several high-quality left-handers, particularly at the top.”

“They’d ideally like to maintain Travis Head at the top of the order, despite some doubts about his effectiveness against spin, even at test level, as shown during the Sri Lanka tour where he opened instead of Sam Konstas. Whether Head might shift to the middle order remains uncertain. Australia does have enough power in their lineup.”

“Tim David has handled the pressure well, showing versatility to bat both up and down the order. Batting at number four, he provides additional flexibility and a power edge. Mitchell Marsh, like the others, also faces questions regarding adaptability against spin from right and left-handers. This team showed during their tour in India—with pitches that don’t turn much—that they struggled to find a consistent rhythm and pattern.”

Hayden signed off by talking about the importance of the powerplay phase in T20 cricket. “We often emphasize the significance of those first six overs, even during pre-match discussions. The key question usually is how many runs teams can score in that period, making it a crucial phase of the game.”

“In conditions like those offshore and at the Gabba, which are generally good batting surfaces, pushing the limits, as India did, can lead to opportunities. If those chances are missed, as Australia experienced today, a team can quickly find itself struggling and trailing behind.”

“It’s a delicate balance to maintain. However, in subcontinental conditions, everyone understands the necessity of building a strong foundation in the first six overs because that’s when the game truly begins to accelerate,” he concluded.

–IANS

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