Cricket: Pandya heroics help India avoid clean sweep against Australia
After the comprehensive defeats in the first two One Day International (ODIs) and losing the series, it was a remarkable comeback for our men in blue to win the inconsequential final One Day International in Canberra, Australia (“Tour of Australia: Pandya, Jadeja help India avoid clean sweep in one-day series”, Gulf News, December 02). It's good that our new boys made a mark to bounce back from a precarious position of 156 runs in 32 overs to set a fighting target of 303. Thanks to the unbeaten 150 runs partnership between Hardik Pandya and Jadeja, who took the wind out of the Aussies. Then onward it was left to our new pace batteries to defend the target in style and win the morale-boosting tie with 13 runs. This win should be a boost to our boys' morale for the coming T20 and Test series. We are confident that our coach and captain would be wise enough to go by performing players, based on horses for courses. Well done, Kohli and the team. Keep up this tempo. I take this opportunity to congratulate our Indian captain Kohli to achieve the rare distinction of surpassing 12000 runs in 242 one day innings. I wish him more and more laurels in the coming matches.
From Mr N V Krishnan
India
Cricket: India's impressive victory over Australia
Congratulations to Virat Kohli and his team, especially Hardik Pandya and Jadeja who stitched a match-winning century partnership to take the wind out of the Aussies to set a winning target of 303 (“Tour of Australia: India need to carry the momentum of Canberra win to T20 series”, Gulf News, December 02). From there on it was the bowlers, particularly Thangarasu Natarajan who gave an initial break and then Shradhul Takkur who accounted for Steve Smith to dent the top Aussies. But for the early dropped catches of Finch, our victory margin should have been healthy. Anyway, this victory should have opened the eyes of our captain and coach that it is time to try out our bench strength and not to persist with non-performing players of their choice.
From Mr N Viswanathan
Tamil Nadu, India
