As Cooper Connolly cooly carried his country to a series-clinching ODI victory, his mind couldn’t help but flash back to first time he got his side home in a run chase on the big stage.
Connolly’s match-winning cameo in the BBL|12 Final was the then 19-year-old’s coming-of-age moment, leading Perth Scorchers back from the dead to a record fifth Big Bash triumph.
Composed Connolly makes chase a cakewalk with 61no
Two-and-a-half years on and Thursday night in Adelaide could prove an equally defining moment in the young left-hander’s career, this time rising to the occasion on the international stage with millions watching on around the world.
So, to calm his nerves and avoid the distraction of those memorable Scorchers flashbacks, Connolly revealed that he found himself singing between balls to the tunes echoed around the ground by the Adelaide Oval DJ.
Inside story of Perth’s epic BBL|12 Final run chase
“I actually had moment out there today where I was just thinking about how I felt when I was out there (during the BBL|12 Final),” the now 22-year-old said post-match after Australia’s nervy two-wicket win in the second ODI.
“To bring myself back down to earth and control my emotions, I like to sing a song to myself.
“I started singing between every ball just to relax myself, take myself off the game and try to embrace it as much as possible.
“The Indian team is world-class team (so I had) to enjoy it and embrace the challenge in front of me.”
Connolly had not been required to bat in half of his six one-day internationals prior to Thursday’s win over India, and had to retire hurt on seven in one innings he did have after copping a Mohammad Hasnain thunderbolt to the hand in November last year.
That seven not out was his previous best score in the format, so he was determined not to let an opportunity slip by when he arrived in the middle of Adelaide Oval with Australia requiring another 133 runs to win from 138 balls.
‘I hadn’t got to double digits’: Connolly relishes ODI opportunity
The West Australian formed crucial partnerships of 55 and 59 runs respectively with Matt Short and then Mitch Owen, standing firm with the tail at the end to remain unbeaten on 61 when the winning run was scored.
“I don’t think I’d got to double digits yet (in ODIs) so it’s always nice to get that breakout innings just to feel that I can play at this level,” Connolly said.
“There’s still a lot of cricket to be played (in my career) but it was nice to get my opportunity today.
“I’ve been sitting there watching the boys get it done … but to get the opportunity to showcase what I can do is nice and I’m just looking forward to hopefully playing some more cricket for Australia.”
Australia’s ODI batting line up is in transition following the retirements of Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis earlier this year. The performances of newcomers Connolly (aged 22), Mitch Owen (24) and paceman Xavier Bartlett (26) will be sure to please national selectors in the build towards the next World Cup in 2027.
Owen batted in Maxwell’s former role at No.7 and hit three sixes in his maiden ODI innings of 36 from 23 balls, while Matt Short’s career-best 73 came with Australia searching for a new No.3 following captain Mitch Marsh’s move to the top of the order to partner Travis Head.
Career-best night for Short in nervy chase
“We’ve got a lot of depth in Australian cricket and that showed tonight,” Connolly said.
“Obviously, with ‘Smudge’ (Smith) and ‘Maxi’ (Maxwell) retiring from one-day cricket earlier in the year, there’s room for some younger guys to come through.
“It was nice for me, ‘Shorty’, ‘Mitchy’ and ‘X’ (Bartlett) to put our hands up and almost feel like we’re welcome on this stage by being able to play some good cricket.
Kohli bags another duck after Bartlett’s new-ball blitz
“Being around the group has been world-class for me and learning off some of the best players – such as Travis Head and Mitch Marsh – and taking in how they go about it.
“The last 12 months around the Australian setup has been very important to me and I’ve learned a lot over that period of time.
“I’m still only 22 so there’s going to be a lot more learnings for me along the way but I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”
And another chance to impress will come in Saturday’s series finale at the SCG where Australia will be seeking their first ever ODI series sweep over India having already clinched an unassailable 2-0 lead thanks to Connolly’s heroics in Adelaide.
Australia v India ODIs 2025
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa. Game three: Josh Inglis
India squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal
October 19: Australia won by seven wickets (DLS method)
October 23: Australia won by two wickets
October 25: Third ODI v India, SCG, Sydney, 2:30pm AEDT
All matches live via Kayo Sports and Foxtel
