KL Rahul scored an unbeaten 58 as India beat Australia by 5 wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series.
India's stand-in captain, KL Rahul, believes that putting himself in challenging situations is always beneficial, particularly after a lengthy injury lay-off. In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Rahul led the team in the first ODI against Australia. Displaying remarkable skill and determination, he scored an unbeaten 58 runs, leading India to a resounding five-wicket victory. This triumph not only secured a 1-0 lead in the three-match dress rehearsal series but also served as a powerful statement before the upcoming World Cup.
"Not the first time, always happens with me. I'm used to it, I love it," Rahul said about leading the side in place of regular skipper Rohit Sharma.
"I think the intensity in the afternoon was great, after Colombo this felt like heaven at the start but it was really hot and humid. It gets tough and physically challenging, but we've all worked on our fitness and that's showing on the field." Rahul said.
"After Shubman got out, it was a bit tricky with the set batter out. But managed to build a good partnership with Surya, need to put myself in such challenging situations.
"We kept talking about hitting good cricket shots, rotating the strike and this is something all our batters are working on. We didn't want to get bogged down, we were always on par so we wanted to take it deep," he said.
The outstanding performer of the match, Mohammed Shami, showcased his brilliance by securing an impressive 5 wickets for a mere 51 runs. Despite the scorching heat and oppressive humidity, Shami expressed his satisfaction in successfully completing his full quota of 10 overs on Friday.
"It depends on the captain and the game situation, but despite the heat you feel like bowling 4-5 overs with the new ball," Shami said of bowling longer spells in the sultry conditions.
"I enjoyed the wicket of Marsh, that's a different feeling when you get the outside edge, when you control your swing nicely. It was important to hit the right lengths on this wicket, either at full pace or go slow, but bowling the right lengths were key," he said.
Chasing a target of 277, Gill slammed 74 off 63 balls, while Gaikwad made 71 off 77 as India overhauled the target with eight balls to spare, reaching 281 for five.
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