Australia vs India 2018-19: Kohli, Dhoni Help India Level Series

Australia vs India 2018-19: India drew level in the three-match series after winning the second match by six wickets. Indian skipper Virat Kohli 24th ODI century while chasing was instrumental in getting visitors over the line. Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni who scored 55 off 54 rotated the strike with more confidence and played a key role in India’s triumph.

1st Innings:

Australia’s opener Aaron Finch and Alex Carey got off to a cautious start. They had a set plan before Aaron Finch decided to change gears. The Australian captain tried to break the shackles as he decided to go for a big shot. However, Finch left a gulf between his bat and pad and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was able to sneak through the gap. Kumar got the ball to move back into the right-hander and found Finch’s inside-edge which then hit the stumps.

Mohammed Shami provided another breakthrough in the next over. Shami bowled a bumper at Carey’s left shoulder and the southpaw batsman played a half-hearted shot which ballooned to mid-wicket, where Shikhar Dhawan took a simple catch.

However, India’s debutant Mohammed Siraj eased off the pressure as he was not accurate in his line and length. Siraj was short in his length and was taken for 76 runs in his 10 overs quota. Just when Khawaja and Marsh were settling into the groove with a 56-runs alliance, Ravindra Jadeja produced a piece de resistance. Jadeja rushed to the ball like a Cheetah and was able to hit the stumps like the best archer in the world. In fact, Jadeja rocketed the throw as he gave it a full-throttle and Usman Khawaja was just short of his crease.

India was brilliant in the filed and former Indian skipper MS Dhoni also joined the party. Dhoni took a sharp take when Peter Handscomb missed his slog sweep. As usual, India’s master behind the stumps took the bails before Handscomb could get his bat or foot behind the popping crease.

On the other hand, Shaun Marsh continued his good form going. The southpaw batsman who had scored a fifty in the previous match timed the ball to perfection. Furthermore, Marsh’s strike rate throughout the innings was in the high nineties, which kept Australia ahead in the game.

Glenn Maxwell came to the crease at 189-5 in the 37th over and the stage was set for the carnage. Marsh, on the other hand, continued to bat at the top of his game. The left-hander completed his seventh ODI hundred from 108 balls. Maxwell who had faced only five balls in the previous match had the license to bat in a way he loves. The combative right-hander smashed a quickfire 48 of just 36 balls. Hence, he played a typical Maxwell inning. Maxwell and Marsh were settled and made most of the situation. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar who was the pick of the Indian bowlers was able to send back both of them in the same over. Kumar scalped four wickets which would have added a shot in the arm to his confidence.

However, the hosts lost the plot in the final three overs in order to accelerate. But Australia lost wickets and posted 298 runs, however, they looked good at one stage to get past the 300-run mark

Australia added 93 runs in the last ten overs to post a competitive total of 298 runs.

2nd Innings:

India needed a good start to keep themselves alive in the ODI series. The visitors got off to a brisk start with Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma adding 47 runs for the first wicket. Shikhar Dhawan took the role of the aggressor whereas India’s first match centurion Rohit Sharma took a backseat. Dhawan played some delightful in his knock of 32 runs. However, the southpaw batsman lofted the ball to Usman Khawaja at mid-off in order to keep up the momentum.

Subsequently, Rohit Sharma started to find his groove and was accompanied by Indian skipper Virat Kohli. The tourists added 82 runs in the first fifteen overs and hence got their run-chase on the right path. Kohli and Rohit, India’s two best batsmen, worked the ball into the gaps to pick their singles at regular intervals.

However, Rohit Sharma went for the big shot and didn’t get his timing right. Peter Handscomb took a good catch at deep square leg and it was a big wicket for the hosts.

With India 101-2 and Dhawan, Rohit back in the hunt, the onus was on Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper knew he had to bat long for India to get close to the target. As always the talisman didn’t disappoint with his show and batted at the top of his game. Kohli scored his 39th ODI hundred as he once again proved his mettle.

Kohli scored five fours and two sixes in his fighting knock as he worked the ball with guile. In fact, this was Kohli’s 24th hundred while chasing the target. However, Kohli could not finish off the game when he found Glenn Maxwell at deep mid-wicket.

Subsequently, the onus was on MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik. Dhoni rotated the strike with more confidence and didn’t play a lot of dots as he had done in the previous match. Karthik was able to hit the ground running from the get-go and scored 25 runs from 14 balls to take off the pressure from MS Dhoni.

The decider of three-match series will take place at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 18.