Australia won the second T20 International against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground by 4 wickets on October 31, 2025.
India batted first on a challenging pitch favoring fast bowlers, scoring 125 runs in 18.4 overs. Opener Abhishek Sharma led the innings with a strong 68 off 37 balls. Josh Hazlewood was the standout Australian bowler, claiming three wickets.
Australia’s openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head gave their team a solid start, scoring 51 runs in 27 balls. Travis Head was dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy after scoring 28 runs, while Marsh contributed 46 off 26 balls before Kuldeep Yadav took his wicket.
After Marsh’s dismissal, Tim David came to the crease and soon became the target of Varun Chakravarthy’s psychological tactics, supported by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav.
“First, Tilak Varma was positioned at short-leg. David smiled at the fielder but backed away once. Chakravarthy paused his run-up to increase the pressure.”
David managed only one run before a clever delivery from Varun caught him off guard, resulting in a simple return catch to dismiss him.
Varun Chakravarthy and Tim David were engaged in intense mind games during the match.
The mental battle between Varun Chakravarthy and Tim David showcased the significant role of tactics beyond skill in T20 cricket, ultimately helping India challenge Australia's chase.
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