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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Australia ended India’s four-year unbeaten run in the ODI series with a 2-1 win in Chennai
Australia tamed the lions in their den as they ended India’s four-year unbeaten run in the home ODI series with a 2-1 win over the hosts in the third and final ODI in Chennai.
On the dry Chepauk stadium wicket, it was the Australian spinners – Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar – who ruled the roost as they stopped India 21 runs short of the target. The win also saw Australia rise to the top of the ICC ODI ranking.
Chasing 270 to win the match, and maintain their unbeaten run at home, skipper Rohit Sharma (30, 17b, 2×4, 2×6) and Shubman Gill (37, 49b, 4×4, 1×6) added 65 runs for the opening stand.
Despite losing both openers in quick succession, Virat Kohli, playing an innings antithesis to his very being, and KL Rahul, desperately looking to stay relevant, brought some sense to the chase with a measured partnership – the highlight of which is their ability to not panic at the lack of boundaries as they kept the scoreboard ticking.
With Kohli, the new mature version that is being unveiled this season, dropping anchor, it was Rahul who decided to attack. He slammed two fours and a six in his sedate 50-ball 32 before falling while trying to pace the innings.
It was the moment when Australian spinners smelled their chance as their spinners, Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, took control and India virtually threw the game away by playing the wrong shots at the wrong time.
Kohli (54, 72b, 2×4, 1×6) nonetheless scored the lone half-century from the match, while Hardik Pandya (40, 40b, 3×4, 1×6) added useful runs, but they too perished at the wrong times, which only hurt India’s chances.
India had a longer tail and yet Md Shami tried to keep the fans cheerful, but his cameo lasted only 13 minutes as India managed to pull off the unthinkable in the past four years – losing the ODI series at home.
Earlier, Australia’s all out approach helped them post 269 before electing to bat first. Mitchell Marsh (47, 47b, 8×4, 1×6) and Travis Head (33, 31b, 4×4, 2×6) added 68 runs for the opening stand that set the tone.
While others failed to convert their starts, Australia’s long batting line-up means they posted a challenging total on the surface.
For India, Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each, while Md Shami and Md Siraj added two wickets each.
BRIEF SCORE: Australia 269 (Mitchell Marsh 47, Alex Carey 38; Hardik Pandya 3/44, Kuldeep Yadav 3/56) beat India 248 (Virat Kohli 54, Hardik Pandya 40; Adam Zampa 4/45) by 21 runs
