India vs Australia, Highlights 3rd ODI: India Beat Australia By 7 Wickets To Clinch Series 2-1
Highlights: India vs Australia 3rd ODI: India displayed an all-round performance in the 2nd ODI.
MS Dhoni (87 not out) and Kedar Jadhav (61Â not out) played brilliant individual knocks as India defeated Australia by seven wickets in the third and final ODI. The visiting India also registered their first bilateral series victory in Australia. Earlier, Yuzvendra Chahal grabbed his first opportunity in the series with both hands, taking a career-best 6 for 42 to decimate Australia for a paltry 230. At the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Chahal matched Ajit Agarkar's 6/42 during 2004 tri-series to record the joint best-ever ODI figures on Australian soil. In doing so, he also improved on his previous best of 5/22 against South Africa at Centurion in January 2018. For Australia, Peter Handscomb (58) scored a fighting half-century and took them to a respectable total after they were reduced to 161-6 at one stage. This was after India won the toss and opted to field on a rainy day in Melbourne. Chahal, who replaced Mohammed Siraj, made life difficult for the Australian batsmen with deceptive flight and varying the pace of his deliveries. Play was delayed by ten minutes because of rain and, after the first two balls in the Australian innings there was a further 20-minute delay before weather improved. The hosts faltered under cloudy skies though as Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/28) and Mohammed Shami (2/47) bowled excellent opening spells. (SCORECARD)
The Virat Kohli-led side started their tour with a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series that ended in a 1-1 draw, followed by a historic first-ever 2-1 Test series win for India on Australian soil. In the crucial series decider at the MCG, India will once again hope for their in-form top order, comprising Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Kohli to score the bulk of the runs.
With Dhoni marshalling the less-tested middle-order, and Kedar Jadhav still warming the bench, both Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik will aim to get some runs if they are to stay in contention for a berth in the 2019 World Cup squad.
While the bowling department led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar has impressed in both the games, with pacer Mohammed Shami and the spin duo of chinaman Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja providing good support, India's main point of concern will be the fifth bowler in the absence of suspended all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
The Men-in-Blue tried left-armer Khaleel Ahmed in the first ODI before handing a debut to Mohammed Siraj in the second, but neither could make an impact.
India Cricket Team
Australia Cricket Team
India vs Australia 3rd ODI
That is it from the game then! Australia continue to be winless. They cannot win Tests, nor T20Is or ODIs. Victory continues to elude them and they will hope there is some spark or a change around the corner. They have Sri Lanka coming up next with tours of India (why again?) and UAE. India meanwhile, get ready to expand their tour Down Under with a visit to New Zealand for 5 ODIs and a T20I. Do join us for both series and much more. Plenty of cricketing action in the months to follow in this 'YEAR OF THE WORLD CUP!' ADIOS! TAKE CARE!
Virat Kohli also agrees that it was not an easy wicket to bat on, hence had to bat deep. Admits that the team was getting nervous but had plenty of confidence in Dhoni and Jadhav. On Kuldeep missing out, Kohli says that the team just wanted to rest the chinaman. Praises the other bowlers for stepping up. On the tour overall, Virat says that it has been a long tour and one could not have asked for a better result. Adds that the team is confident and is raring to go to New Zealand and strut its stuff.
Australian captain, Aaron Finch, feels that Australia took it down to the wire. Admits that when you give great players a couple of chances, it backfires. Rues the dropped chances as the result could have been much different had those been taken. Praises his bowlers for giving it their everything, trying their best to defend a modest total. On the dropped chances, he says those things happen. On the batting, Finch says that in this game perhaps there was lesser patience shown in the middle overs and they ended up targetting more than they should have.
MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE SERIES. The crowd is rupturing its applause. 'DHONI! DHONI! DHONI!' goes the chant. MS says that it was a slow wicket and hence one had to be careful playing the shots. Adds that he calculated how many overs every bowler had left and planned his knock accordingly. Mentions that it was important to target certain bowlers and that was the gameplan. Praises Kedar Jadhav for the support he gave and adds that his unorthodox shots take the pressure off him (Dhoni). On batting at number 4, Dhoni says that it all depends on the game situation and what the team wants from him. Feels that his batting position is irrelevant when compared to the balance of the team, so is happy to bat anywhere.
YUZVENDRA CHAHAL HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH. Chahal, says he's obviously happy to have done well in his first game in Australia. Adds that the wicket was turning so he wanted to take advantage of that by varying his pace. Continues saying that there are plenty of challenges, with the next one being in New Zealand, so is looking forward to those.
Hard to fault too much from the Aussie bowlers. They bowled with intensity, created pressure and also made opportunities. But, their fielders let them down. As many as 2 dropped catches and then 2 run out chances missed. Too much in a series finale. Jhye Richardson bounced back after a poor second ODI while Zampa showed some confidence with the ball. Please stay tuned for the presentation...
87. What is so bad about 87? Ask the Aussies. 13 short of a 100. Hence, they consider it unlucky. Normally, it is their batsmen who get dismissed on that number. Tonight, it is a man from the opposition, who came in with the team in a bit of trouble at 59/2 but has stayed unbeaten till the end on guess how much - 87. Just 6 boundaries in his knock but till he was there in the middle, no one had any doubt who would win. His average in run chases now zooms up to 103.07. Mahendra Singh Bradman. Take a bow.
Kohli and Dhoni did what they do best. Grind out oppositions. First the skipper had a 44-run stand with Dhawan. Then added 54 with his former captain. And then, when things seemed to be in Australia's control with Kohli getting out, Kedar Jadhav came out and eased out all fears. His unbeaten 121-run stand with Dhoni would have instilled tremendous amount of confidence in the Indian think tank. Yes. Their batting looks even more stronger now, with the middle order stepping up.
Coming to this match, chasing 231 should never have been difficult but circumstances made it difficult for India. Some tight opening bowling saw the visitors struggling and they were reduced to 26/1 in Powerplay 1. Then they would have lost Kohli and later Dhoni, not once but multiple times but Australia kept grassing chances. Well, good teams do not need more opportunities.
T20 series tied. Test series won. ODI series won. Boy, what a tour it has been for India. They were expected to win but they have not allowed the Aussies to win more than 3 matches in 10 outings. Superb. Take a bow.