Shoaib Akhtar, India, Australia
Shoaib Akhtar. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Pakistan’s former pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar has lavished praised on Team India after their solid performance in the third and final ODI in Benguluru. Akhtar believes that this is a new Indian team and unlike his playing days. India thumped Australia in the third ODI to clinch the ODI series 2-1. Having lost the first game of the series, India fought back in the last two ODIs and won them in a comprehensive manner.

Notably, Indian bowlers did a fantastic job to restrict Australia at 286 for 9 in 50 allotted overs. Mohammed Shami snared four crucial wickets for India. Having restricted Australia well under 300 in Bengaluru, Indian top batsmen; Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played significant knocks to help hosts win the game. Team India had an all-round performance in the second and third ODI which had boosted the morale of the unit in a nutshell.

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Shoaib Akhtar Heaps Praise on Team India:

The Rawalpindi Express was full of praise for Team India after Kohli-led side had thrashed the Kangaroos in Bengaluru.

It was a Battle of pride. This is a new Indian team, not like my playing days. To win the series after losing the 1st match so comprehensively was quite difficult. In Chinnaswamy, basically India bullied and hammered Australia; it was like playing with boys. This was too much from India(laughs), total annihilation,” Shoaib stated.

Shoaib Akhtar,Pakistan Cricket Team
Shoaib Akhtar (Credits – Google)

Shoaib asserted Kohli is an exceptional leader and knows the nitty-gritties of the game. The veteran cricketer has further hailed Rohit apart from Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.

Akhtar said, “Virat Kohli is an exceptional leader. He is very tough mentally. He knows how to mount comebacks. His boys know it as well. He doesn’t give up after setbacks. Then if you have talents like Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, then you know that if you have got the opposition out for less than 300, that too in Bengaluru, then you forget about stopping that chase.” 

On Sunday, Rohit slammed a brilliant century in Bengaluru which eventually saw him bagging the Man of the Match. He scored 119-run knock which comprised of eight fours and six sixes.

Showering praise on the ‘Hitman’, Shoaib said, “When Rohit is on song, he doesn’t care whether it’s a good/bad ball. It comes very naturally to him. On pitches like Chinnaswamy, he becomes ruthless. Australia got a taste of their own medicine, like when they used to have a great team. Today the tables are turned.”

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma (Photo: BCCI)

Talking about the final ODI, Team India beat Australia by seven wickets in the final ODi of the series. India won the series 2-1 after losing the first game of the series at Wankhede by 10 wickets. India will now travel to New Zealand for a month-long tour. This tour will comprise of five T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.

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