Varun Chakravarthy impressed in his very first over, getting rid of the risky Travis Head for 39 off 33 balls. The Australian opener, who has been troubling India consistently with his attacking batting, ran out of luck while trying to play a big shot.
Head seemed poised for another dominant innings, but his attempt to hit the boundary off Chakravarthy’s delivery saw him being well-judged by Shubman Gill. The wicket gave India the much-needed breakthrough, leaving Australia at 54/2 in 8.2 overs.
The wicket of the leg-spinner, which was important, shattered a strong partnership and turned the tables in India’s direction. Head had begun boldly, thrashing the Indian bowlers with his powerful stroke play, but his stay at the crease was cut short when he mistimed a lofted shot into the hands of Gill.
Chakravarthy, the crafty spinner, proved his worth again, ratcheting up the pressure on Australia. With Head in the pavilion, India looked to build on the breakthrough and curtail Australia’s run rate.
As the game goes on, the attention now turns to how Australia‘s middle order fares against India’s spinners. With Chakravarthy in form, India seeks to gain more dominance over the game in the Champions Trophy Semi-Final.