India vs Australia, 1st T20I stat attack: KL Rahul breaching 2,000-mark and other milestones from series opener

Team India got their home season off to a disappointing start on Tuesday as they suffered a six-wicket loss against Australia in the first T20I in Mohali.

What was especially worrisome for the team was the manner in which their bowling got torn apart in the death overs as the Men in Blue suffered yet another defeat while defending a target, this time in excess of 200.

Read: Hardik Pandya’s batting unparalleled assault goes in vain as bowlers stumble

India had lost to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a similar manner during the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. And much like those games, senior bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was once again guilty of leaking too many runs in the death over, this time going for 31 runs in the 17th and 19th overs.

However, the match also witnessed some positives, such as Hardik Pandya returning to form with the bat as he blazed his way to an unbeaten 71 off just 30 balls, helping India post 208/6. Additionally, left-arm spinner Axar Patel reminded the team management of the value that he could bring in with the ball in Ravindra Jadeja’s absence, finishing the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/17.

Read: Men in Blue’s listless bowling at death and other talking points from 1st T20I

There were also some milestones achieved along the way, which we look at in greater detail below:

— Vice-captain KL Rahul became the third Indian after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to complete 2,000 runs in T20Is.

— The opening batter, who scored 55 on Tuesday, also became the third-fastest to 2,000 T20I runs, doing so in 58 innings. Only Babar Azam (52) and Kohli (56) have breached the mark in fewer innings.

— Rahul also became only the third Indian batter to register 20 or more fifty-plus scores in T20Is, behind Kohli (33) and Rohit (32).

— India skipper Rohit, meanwhile, equalled New Zealand opener Martin Guptill’s record for most sixes in T20Is. He went level with Guptill’s 172 sixes in the format with a whip over long leg off Pat Cummins, his only maximum of the innings.

— Harshal Patel has now conceded 40 or more runs in a T20I five times this year. Avesh Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are second in this list, both having gone for 40 or more runs four times in 2022.

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