Coulter-Nile expects Aussies to bounce back

In spite of losing the opening one-day international (ODI) against India, Australian fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile believes the confidence and momentum his side gathered from the T20I series that concluded recently will not dampen.

Australia sealed the two-match T20I series with a 2-0 win over India at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru before losing the first ODI against the Virat Kohli-led side by six wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

"I don't think it shifts too much. They're one-nil up in this series so they've got the upper hand, but it was a really closely fought game. We played well, they played better in the end but I think it's a really close two teams and the next four games should be even tighter," Cricket Australia quoted Coulter-Nile, as saying.

 

Coulter-Nile stood out for his side, returning 2/46 from his 10 overs quota after helping Australia push to a respectable total of 236 for seven. Meanwhile, in the first T20I, he collected Man of the Match for his 3/36 and in the second game supported his side with 1/33.

"It's strange, sometimes you feel like you bowl really well and take no wickets and other times you feel like the ball is coming out really poorly and you take 2-40 or whatever I did today. I'm getting better. I came in with scratchy form off the BBL so I'm getting better definitely. Hopefully, I can hit my areas better next game for longer, consistently and the ball will start will feeling a bit better out of the hand," said Coulter-Nile.

Australia and India will meet for the second ODI of the five-match series on March 5 in Nagpur.