Despite initial struggles in establishing a sturdy foundation akin to their performance in the first three games of the series, India found their rhythm in the latter part of their innings, surging past the 170-run mark in Raipur.
Spearheading this commendable total were the relatively inexperienced pair of Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, the latter exhibiting an explosive 35 off 19 balls.
Yet, it was Jitesh’s very first aggressive shot that caught the attention of Kangaroos’ skipper Matthew Wade, foreseeing the imminent threat to his team, which he couldn’t conceal.
In the 15th over, facing debutant Chris Green, Jitesh, having only faced three balls, encountered a looping delivery angling towards the pads. Seizing the opportunity, the wicket-keeper batsman elegantly kneeled down, meeting the ball’s trajectory squarely with his bat, propelling it effortlessly into the midwicket stands.
— virat Sharma (@viratSharm69964) December 1, 2023
𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒓 𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑱𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒊 🔥
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) December 1, 2023
What a fearless hitting by the debutant against the run of play 💪#IDFCFirstBankT20ITrophy continues LIVE on #JioCinema, #Sports18 & #ColorsCineplex#INDvAUS #TeamIndia #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/wOaHpo2ni0
The Indian team on the sidelines erupted in cheers, with captain Suryakumar Yadav beaming as he tracked the ball’s flight. Rinku also seemed impressed by his partner’s stroke, but it was Wade’s reaction that drew attention. The seasoned player let out a resounding shout, his evident frustration reflecting on his face, before promptly directing his team.