Ravindra Jadeja identifies turning point in India's triumph over Australia

Australia had made a strong start to their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign with David Warner and Steve Smith laying the foundation for a competitive total against India, until Ravindra Jadeja turned the match with three crucial wickets.

Jadeja ran through the Australia middle-order as the visitors slumped from 110/2 to 119/5 in the space of 16 balls to hand India control of the contest on a spin-friendly deck.

The left-arm spinner bowled Steve Smith with an unplayable delivery that almost turned square to beat the defence, then quickly followed it up with the scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey in the next over.

The Australia No.3 was looking comfortable, especially as all of his seven ODIs in 2023 have been played against India in India, and was posing a huge threat to the hosts while compiling a classy 46 until Jadeja struck.

"I think that was the turning moment. When you get a wicket like Steve Smith, from there onwards it was not easy to just come in and rotate the strike for the new batter," Jadeja said.

"I would say that wicket was the turning point. From there onwards, they were 110/3 and 199 all out."

Jadeja's spell to Smith was characterised by deliveries that went through quicker with less turn, until the wicket-taking delivery which was slower and turned more than five degrees to beat the batter's defensive push.

"This was my plan, that I should bowl at the stumps and luckily the ball to Smith turned a little more," Jadeja said.

"My plan was simple. I was thinking that this is a Test match bowling wicket, I shouldn't experiment too much because everything was happening in the wicket. So I was trying to bowl it stump to stump."

The star spinner's 10 overs only conceded 28 runs for three wickets and were crucial to India making a winning start to the tournament on home soil.

But Jadeja revealed that MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai was not as helpful to the spinners as he initially expected.

"When I started the first over, the ball was stopping after falling a little slow. I thought it was the afternoon, it was hot and the wicket was dry," Jadeja said.

"I thought a stump-line would be better. From here some balls would turn, some would go straight, so it won't be easy for the batsman to line up."

Led by Jadeja, India skittled Australia out for 199 on a wicket that ultimately proved to be conducive to spin.

But India were on the ropes early in the run chase at 2/3 until Virat Kohli and KL Rahul combined for a 165-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Kohli, Rahul combine as India start World Cup campaign in style

While the partnership effectively sealed India's win, Jadeja and the other India bowlers had set up the game in the first innings.

India take on Afghanistan next in their World Cup fixture in Delhi on Wednesday before the marquee clash against Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 14. Australia, meanwhile, square off against South Africa in Lucknow on Thursday.