India Tour of Australia 2012: Top Five Moments From Tri-Series Down Under

India are all set to play their first game of the tri-series on Sunday, involving Australia and England. Despite India's poor show in the last ODI series played Down Under in 2012, there were still quite a few exciting moments that made the series a memorable one. Here are the top five moments from that tour: (Also read: It's Smith vs Kohli vs Root)

Virat Kohli's match-winning 133 versus Sri Lanka at Hobart

The standout moment for India in the last ODI series in Australia was Virat Kohli's superlative 133-run knock against Sri Lanka at Hobart. Batting first, the Sri Lankan team had set a massive 320 run target. To stay alive in the series, India needed to chase down the mammoth in less than 40 overs. The 24-year-old Virat Kohli then made a mockery of the Lankan bowling as he helped India chase down the target in just 36.4 overs, which kept the team in the hunt for a place in final.

Dhoni Calls Seniors Slow Fielders

Apart from Kohli's knock, the other big headline during India's tri-series campaign was MS Dhoni's 'slow fielder' comment. The controversial statement threatened to create a rift between the skipper and some senior members of the team. After India's fifth game in the tri-series, which they lost by 110 runs, the Indian captain, in a direct reference to some of the senior members of the Indian team had said, "You know these fielders are not bad. But you know, for this environment and this condition and big outfield they are slightly on the slower side. So, they will be exploited."

Later, when Virender Sehwag was asked about Dhoni's 'slow fielder' comment, he shot back saying, "Have you seen my catch?", drawing the media's attention to the stunning catch he had taken in the same series, in a game vs Sri Lanka.

Gautam Gambhir questions Dhoni's tactics

MS Dhoni was in the centre of another controversy, only this time the questions were not raised by the Indian skipper instead they were raised about him. After a game vs Sri Lanka in Adelaide- a match in which Dhoni took India to a win in the last over of the match- Gautam Gambhir criticized his skipper of regularly taking games right down to the wire. Gambhir, who had himself scored 92 runs in that match, said in the post match press conference, "I don't know what was going in Dhoni's mind. Someone like me if I would have been there till the end I wouldn't have taken the game till the last over. Because I always feel that any runs in the last over is always far more pressure than finishing I think one or two overs before."

India versus Sri Lanka, the Tied match at Adelaide

Gambhir's criticism aside, Dhoni's unbeaten knock of 58 versus Sri Lanka in Adelaide was one of the most memorable moments from the 2012 tri-series. Chasing a modest 237-run target, the MS Dhoni-led side needed 9 runs to win off the final over. The excitement boiled down to the final ball as India needed 4 to win. The skipper was on strike against Lasith Malinga, and in his trademark style hit a powerful shot towards the extra cover boundary. Though the ball was stopped before it could cross the boundary line, the Indian captain ran three and the match ended in a tie.

Dhoni's match-winning knock versus Australia at Adelaide

Earlier in the series, Dhoni had once again proved why he's considered one of the best finishers in the game. India were chasing an imposing target of 270 runs vs Australia in Adelaide. In the end, it all came down to 12 runs needed off 4 balls. The Indian skipper showed nerves of steel as he dispatched Clint Mckay for a huge six in the third ball of the over. India eventually won the match with two deliveries to spare.