Second t20i in between Australia and India became a showcase of the highest quality fast bowling at the Iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground Nathan Ellis and Josh Hazlewood Rip through India’s batting line-up. After initially floundering under lights in Australia, the pacers made the most of the conditions, early and often to put India on the back foot.
Nathan Ellis gets Sanju Samson out with a beauty
Between the early wickets, a magical delivery from Ellis Sanju Samson pure bowling brilliance stopped for a moment. In the third ball of the fourth over, Ellis sent a sharp nip-back that completely fooled Samson. Deep in his crease, the Indian bowler tried to try a full delivery across the line but missed completely.
The ball smacked him on the back foot in front of middle stump. The umpire raised his finger without hesitation and the ball tracker confirmed that the delivery would continue to crash on the leg stump. It was a pretty perfect setup to beat the inside edge – full, fast and seaming. Ellis celebrated the dismissal of a textbook fast bowler, relishing it as the Melbourne crowd erupted.
Here is the video:
Nathan Ellis gets off to a quick start to dismiss Sanju Samson for just two. #Auswind pic.twitter.com/ly4falbzdi
– Cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) 31 October 2025
See also: India and Australia players pay heartfelt tribute to junior Ben Austin as AUS vs AUS at MCG
Josh Hazlewood is riot riot
India’s innings never really gets going after the early strike. Wickets tumbled regularly, with Australia’s disciplined bowling attack no breathing space. Working with trademark precision and seam movement, Hazlewood became the destroyer in chief.
Hazlewood, complete with exceptional figures of 3 for 13 with four overs, dismantled India’s top and middle order with ruthless precision. His spell included vital wickets that left India struggling to build any momentum. Every time it looked like forming a partnership, Hazlewood or Ellis struck to restore Australia’s control.
Among Indian fruits, Abhishek Sharma he was the only fighter who resisted. The young left-hander has been making a fine impact with finesse, hitting a fluent half-century, with wisecracks falling regularly at the other end. His innings provided some entertainment for the Indian fans but was not enough to lift the team competitively.
Read: AUS vs Ind: Here are Australia vs India players wearing black armbands in 2nd T20I
