Disappointing tour ends with the deciding 20-over clash washed out in Hyderabad

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Australia’s hopes of salvaging a T20 series victory in an otherwise disappointing tour of India have been hosed down by a sodden outfield in Hyderabad.

While the forecast rain stayed away, the state of the surface forced umpires to call Friday’s third and final match off with the outfield deemed to be unsafe.

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Large patches of the Rajiv Gandhi stadium were soaked and choppy, despite a last-ditch attempt to dry them with pedestal fans on the day before the game.

David Warner, who led the side after injured skipper Steve Smith returned to Australia after the one-day internationals, said he sympathised with the ground staff.

“It’s disappointing, but circumstances were quite tough for these guys,” Warner said. “They had 20 days of rain and I think they did quite a good job to actually keep the square dry and prepare a pitch. The outfield was quite unsafe and that’s why they made the call.”

Heavy falls have soaked the city in recent days, with the tail end of monsoon season digging in.

With the series tied at 1-1, Australia were denied a come-from-behind series win after bouncing back from a comprehensive defeat in the rain-affected series-opener in Ranchi.

In game two in Guwahati, the tourists recorded their second victory on the month-long tour as they thrashed India by eight wickets.

But any momentum gained from leveling the series was stopped in its tracks.

More than half of the matches during the tour were delayed by rain. Despite eastern Hyderabad remaining dry during the match, it was the first to be called off.

The tour was book-ended by the effects of weather, with rain reducing Australia’s innings in the first one-day international in Chennai to 21 overs.

They lost that match - and the next two - to lose the ODI series in straight sets with the eventual margin 4-1 in India’s favour.

Barring injury, Warner is the only member of the T20 squad who is certain to be picked for the first Test against England in Brisbane on November 23 as focus turns to the Ashes.

Middle order dynamo Glenn Maxwell didn’t do his chances any favours with a lacklustre tour.

Fast bowlers Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff showed they are potential Test replacements if injury forces selectors to find alternative pace options.