IND V AUS 2020: “If we had taken our chances, we’d have put the game beyond doubt earlier,” - Australia skipper Aaron Finch

While Australia defeated India by 66 runs in the first ODI at Sydney, both teams were poor in the field, dropping a few easy chances, and misjudging catches.

Reflecting on the match after Australia’s triumph, Aussie skipper Aaron Finch admitted that both sides struggled in the field at the SCG.

“For both teams, a few catches went down, just a few opportunities in general. It was just one of those things. Maybe a few lapses in concentration every now and then. But you’ve got to take them. If we had taken those chances, we’d probably have put the game beyond doubt a bit earlier,” Aaron Finch admitted in an interview with cricket.com.au.

Asked if the Australians were rusty in the field, the skipper replied that it should not have been the case.

Chatting with https://t.co/7zqZfe74xF after last night's game, Aaron Finch praised Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell's batting efforts while also admitting Australia need to be better in the field.#AUSvIND | @alintaenergy pic.twitter.com/6Rj9d3fj8Z

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 28, 2020

“(They) shouldn’t be. Half of them were playing shield cricket and the other half had been playing IPL and training hard out of Blacktown when we came back into quarantine,” he further added.

A nightmare for India, Australia fielders at Sydney

Shikhar Dhawan dropped Steve Smith. Pic: ICC/Twitter

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa dropped Indian captain Virat Kohli off Pat Cummins after he had just got off the mark. Kohli top edged a pull to fine leg, only for Zampa to put down his RCB skipper. Luckily, the drop did not prove costly as Kohli perished for 21, trying to take on Josh Hazlewood.

Later, when Shikhar Dhawan was in his 40s, the usually brilliant Glenn Maxwell spilled a chance at cover. The left-hander drove one firmly, but uppishly. It was a low sharp catch that, on most days, the Big Show would have taken.

Not long after, Cummins missed a chance at deep square leg to allow Dhawan to reach a half-century. The southpaw pulled Mitchell Starc, but could not control the stroke, and was lucky as Cummins lost the ball in the lights.

The fielding lapses did not cost Australia though as they had posted a humungous 374 on the board.

The case wasn’t the same for India though as their missed chances proved very costly. Dhawan completely misjudged a catch of Steve Smith in the 37th over. He came running in from long-on only for the ball to land behind him. Smith was on 42, and went on to smash a quickfire hundred.

Hardik Pandya then had parried a ball over the ropes at long-off in the 43rd over to give Maxwell a respite. The Big Show was on 21, and went on to blast 45 from 19.

Shreyas Iyer also dropped Maxwell in the 44th over at deep cover while Yuzvendra Chahal grassed a chance from Finch at short fine-leg after the Australia skipper had crossed his hundred.