Swepson turns heads as Australia defeats India

Mitchell Swepson put down an early marker for a Test debut in Sydney this summer, taking three wickets to save Australia from a T20 clean-sweep at the SCG.

Mitchell Swepson unsuccessfully appeals for the wicket of India's captain Virat Kohli at the SCG on Tuesday night. Picture: AFP

Mitchell Swepson put down an early marker for a Test debut in Sydney this summer, taking three wickets to save Australia from a T20 clean-sweep at the SCG.

The leg-spinner, who was only called into the Twenty20 squad at the 11th hour, stood up in front of the first full house Sydney has seen since the onset of COVID-19 to stop India’s momentum heading into next week’s first Test blockbuster in Adelaide with match-winning figures of 3-23.

Swepson is in Australia’s Test squad and is in career-best form following three dazzling five-wicket hauls for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.

A full house at the SCG for the first time since coronavirus restrictions were imposed. Picture: Phil Hillyard

On Tuesday night in front of a welcomed sight of 30,436 fans back at the cricket, Swepson produced his finest hour in international cricket so help inspire a 12-run win, which was set up by dazzling knocks from Matthew Wade (80 off 53) Glenn Maxwell (54 off 36).

Swepson confronted the runaway train that is Virat Kohli, who — in a worrying sign for Australia — found top gear a week out from the first and only Test he will play this summer.

Kohli (85 off 61) went on a six-hitting rampage. He and new sensation Hardik Pandya (20 off 13) looked poised to steal the show again, until Swepson’s leg-spinning partner in crime Adam Zampa claimed the wicket of Pandya in the 18th over to stop India in their tracks, after Australia had set a chase of 187 to win.

Rare evidence of Steve Smith dropping a sitter. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Swepson will play a pink ball tour match for Australia A against India on Friday night at the SCG in another golden chance to press his claims for a Test debut, but on Tuesday night the 27-year-old announced himself on the big stage.

Kohli’s wicket was claimed by Andrew Tye in the penultimate over, thanks to a second spectacular outfield catch to Daniel Sams.

Earlier, Sams had hung onto a catch for the highlight reels to get rid of Shikhar Dhawan, although the Sydney Thunder quick had made the grab more difficult than it ought to be — spilling it, before nabbing it one-handed as he crashed to the turf.

Sams was injured in taking the catch and left the field, but returned to repeat the dose and send Kohli packing.

Steve Smith would have been the most relieved man at the SCG to see the back of Kohli, given it was a rare fielding blunder from him that let the Indian off the chain.

Kohli had been solid though not spectacular in his shortened tour of Australia, but the global superstar made the most of three missed chances by the hosts early — none as simple as Smith grassing a sitter in the outfield.

Smith’s blunder came on the boundary in front of the member’s stand when the Indian master was just 9.

Virat Kohli lofts down the ground. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Smith normally has some of the safest hands in world cricket, a point reinforced in the 13th over when the freakish former captain leapt athletically in mid-air over the boundary rope to save a certain Kohli six and restrict it to two.

Kohli will see next week’s first Test as his duty to lift India to victory before he leaves the country for the birth of his first child.

Australia were given a warning on Tuesday night into the damage that can be inflicted if Kohli is given lives.

Maxwell continued his brilliant white ball campaign, with another match-defining half century and then being thrown the new ball to claim KL Rahul from just the second ball of the innings.

Maxwell should have had Kohli in his second over if not for Smith’s error, and these six ODI and T20 matches have exhibited the very best of the freakishly talented all-rounder.

They’ve been some of his most consistent and brilliant performances in an Australian shirt, and with the batting crisis going on in the Test team, his name might not be a million miles from the conversation if dramas also open up in the middle-order.

Wade was brilliant but was embroiled in the most controversial moment of the match when he was trapped on the pads by Natarajan in the 11th over just after picking up his 50.

India only appealed belatedly, but Virat Kohli eventually went upstairs, only for the third umpire to determine they’d taken too long to refer. The appeal was cancelled.

Replays suggested Wade was probably out and Kohli was far from impressed, remonstrating with both umpires. But Fox Cricket’s timer showed the skipper had taken 17 seconds, when the allotment is 15.

Mitchell Swepson, left, celebrates with Matthew Wade after taking the wicket of Sanju Samson. Picture: Getty Images