Adelaide: Virat Kohli’s (104, 112b, 5×4, 2×6) 39th ODI century and for once MS Dhoni (55 n o, 54, 2×6) scoring more than the number of balls he faced helped India to a series-levelling six-wicket win against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, here Tuesday.
Chase master Kohli could not take his team over the finishing line this time but Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik (25, 14b, 2×4) rose to the occasion with an unbeaten 57-run stand off 34 balls for the fifth wicket, to take India home with four balls to spare. Earlier Australia had scored 298 for nine after opting to bat.
Man of the match Kohli was dismissed in the 44th over. Dhoni, who has been copping a lot of criticism for his waning finishing skills, turned back the clock and took India past the finish line with a final over six.
India got off to a frantic start with Shikhar Dhawan (32, 28b, 5×4) putting on 47 runs for the opening stand with Rohit Sharma (43, 52b, 2×4, 2×6) in just 46 balls. Rohit was also involved in a second wicket stand of 54 runs with Kohli to take India passed the 100-run mark in the 18th over. But just when things were going smoothly, Rohit mishit a pull off Marcus Stoinis (1/46) and was caught in the deep.
Kohli meanwhile was in cruise mode, rotating strike and picking the odd boundary with ease, as he reached 50 in 66 balls. The star batsman stayed in the same mode as the asking rate climbed. With Ambati Rayudu (24) he put on 59 runs for the third wicket. But it was his 82 runs stand with Dhoni for the fourth wicket that really changed the complexion of the game.
However, when Kohli fell in the 44th over, apprehensions about India’s win surfaced. However, Dhoni then took over and put on match-winning partnership with Karthik and in the process notched up his 69th ODI half-century.
Earlier, Shaun Marsh (131, 123b, 11×4, 3×6) scored his seventh ODI hundred to take Australia to a challenging total. Marsh arrived at the crease at 26-2 was dismissed only in the 48th over. He added 94 runs off 65 balls with Glenn Maxwell (48, 37b, 5×4, 1×6) for the sixth wicket to take Australia to a position of comfort. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/45) and Mohammed Shami (3/58) were the pick of the Indian bowlers.
The hosts were unchanged from the previous game, while India brought in debutant Mohammed Siraj in place of Khaleel Ahmed.
Scoreboard
Australia: Alex Carey c Dhawan b Shami 18, Aaron Finch b Bhuvneshwar 6, Usman Khawaja (r o) Jadeja 21, Shaun Marsh c Jadeja b Bhuvneshwar 131, Peter Handscombe st Dhoni b Jadeja 20, Marcus Stoinis c Dhoni b Shami 29, Glenn Maxwell c Karthik b Bhuvneshwar 48, Jhye Richardson c Dhawan b Shami 2, Nathan Lyon n o 10, Peter Siddle c Kohli b Bhuvneshwar 0, Jason Behrendorff n o 1, Extras (lb 4, wb 6) 10; Total for 9 wickets 298.
Fall: 1-20, 2-26, 3-82, 4-134, 5-189, 6-283, 7-283, 8-286, 9-286.
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 10-0-45-4, Mohammed Shami 10-0-58-3, Mohammed Siraj 10-0-76-0, Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-66-0, Ravindra Jadeja 10-0-49-1.
India: Rohit Sharma c Handscomb b Stoinis 43, Shikhar Dhawan c Khawaja b Behrendorff 32, Virat Kohli c Maxwell b Richardson 104, Ambati Rayudu c Stoinis b Maxwell 24, MS Dhoni n o 55, Dinesh Karthik n o 25, Extras (lb-9, wb-7) 16; Total: (for 4 wickets in 49.2 overs) 299.
Fall: 1-47,2-101, 3-160, 4-242.
Bowling: Jason Behrendorff 8.2-1-52-1, Jhye Richardson 10-0-59-1, Peter Siddle 8-0-58-0, Nathan Lyon 10-0-59-0, Marcus Stoinis 9-0-46-1, Glenn Maxwell 4-0-16-1.
Agencies
