Behrendorff gives Australia hope to sign off on a high
Jason Behrendorff spoke about making the ‘opportunity count’ ahead of his T20I debut for Australia in Ranchi. The left-arm pacer did not take long to stay true to his words as he ripped through a famed Indian batting line-up in the second T20I in Guwahati.
Needing a win to keep the series alive, Australia needed an inspired performance and the 27-year-old Behrendorff provided just that, picking 4/21 in four overs.
After David Warner sent India to bat on a brand new track at the Barsapara Stadium, Behrendorff provided the first sting on just the third ball. His full length delivery came into Rohit Sharma’s pads and the tall pacer’s loud appeal for a LBW was met with a positive response from the umpire.
With the home crowd silenced, the New South Wales player sent another shockwave on the last ball of the first over as he got captain Virat Kohli out for a duck. His good length delivery nipped back a bit as Kohli tried to play across the line. Behrendorff first appealed for another LBW but then as the ball popped up, completed a brilliant catch.
Already in shock, Kohli consulted Dhawan about taking a review but decided going against it as he returned to the pavilion after a maiden duck in T20Is. India were 8/2 then.
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The young Indian middle-order wilted under pressure. Manish Pandey nicked Behrendoff’s wide delivery and wicketkeeper Tim Paine took an easy catch to reduce India to 16/3 inside three overs. And that was not all from Behrendorff as he got Shikhar Dhawan too in his third over. Australia skipper David Warner made it possible with a brilliant catch. The Indian opener tried to go after a fuller delivery from Behrendorff, but the timing did not seem right as the ball went high towards long-off. Warner made a quick backward run and caught the lefthanded opener as India struggled to 27/4 inside five overs. Warner gave an angry look to the fans and the reason was obvious. In a tour that has been frustrating for the team from Down Under, a debutant pacer provided them the spark at just the right moment.