Riding on Hardik Pandya‘s whirlwind career-best knock and MS Dhoni‘s 100th international half-century, India recovered from a disastrous start to post a challenging 281 for 7 in the first One-Day Internationals against Australia in Chennai.
Virat Kohli‘s decision to bat first turned out to be a nightmare with Nathan Coulter-Nile running out. Even before the spectators could settle down on their seats, the hosts found themselves reeling at 11 for 3 with Nathan Coulter-Nile picking up all the three wickets.
Ajinkya Rahane was the first to go when he edged an outside the off-stump delivery behind the wicket before Kohli fell prey to a similar kind of delivery. Manish Pandey also could not do much and was dismissed for a duck before Rohit Sharma and Kedar Jadhav calmed down the nerves in the dressing room. However, just when it looked like the pair had got a measure of things, Rohit played a poor shot to return back to the playing and thus bringing an end to the 53-run partnership.
India then found itself in further trouble when Jadhav also perished playing a poor shot to leave the team reeling at 87 for 5. However, the home side clawed its way back into the game after Dhoni and Pandya added 118 runs for the sixth wicket. Pandya was the major contributor in the partnership, scoring 83 off 66 balls including the over when he hit Adam Zampa for a four and 3 sixes on the four consecutive deliveries. Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar then helped the Men in Blue to close the innings on a good note. The duo added 72 runs for the sixth wicket before Dhoni was dismissed by James Faulkner for 79 in the final over. Bhuvneshwar also played a handy knock off 32 off 30 balls.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the dramatic innings:
Lavish praise for Pandya and Dhoni:
This new Yum Yus Dhoni is even more 'cool' (is possible)!
Sits back to let others have fun and then shows off his finishing skills! #INDvAUS— ZENIA D'CUNHA (@ZENIADCUNHA) September 17, 2017
Among batsman who have scored at least 500 ODI runs in 2017, MS Dhoni's average (102.00) is by far the best. 5 fifties & a ton in 19 matches
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) September 17, 2017
Wonderful to see the growth in Hardik Pandya. That was serious hitting
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 17, 2017
Thanks for the entertainment Pandya. You are the second most important Gujrati for us right now. #INDvAUS
— cricBC (@cricBC) September 17, 2017
Now you can call this Chah Pauk. Becoming a Pandya Dynasty. #INDvAUS
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/MoeenAli/status/909373059970273280
Hardik Pandya has made it a habit of playing the big impact innings. Seeing one currently. Amazing stuff! #INDvAUS
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/909370483996422145
Hardik Pandya has hit 19 sixes in ODIs. Nine of them have come off hat-tricks – three sixes in three balls to Imad, Shadab and now Zampa.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) September 17, 2017
Hardik Pandya is not the only player in the team from West India.
But he's the only West-Indian.#INDvAUS
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) September 17, 2017
3 times in 3 months, 3 successive sixes by Pandya !
Rare ability to completely demorailze spinners.#INDvAUS— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) September 17, 2017
Hardik has a brother, what are you waiting for – play every Pandya there is, take the game to the stands.#indvsaus
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) September 17, 2017
100th International fifty for MS Dhoni and become fourth Indian to achieve this landmark…
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 17, 2017
What a relationship between a man and an adopted city. MS Dhoni and Chennai.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 17, 2017
5⃣0⃣ up for MS Dhoni! It has been a vital knock from the former skipper and the crowd has loved every bit of it.#INDvAUS
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) September 17, 2017
Dhoni on non-strike ,
even when half of the team is back in the pavillion pic.twitter.com/8Kd11v97rl— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) September 17, 2017
Men in Blue trolled for early collapse:
Sri Lanka turned up in Chennai today.#indvsaus
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) September 17, 2017
In Africa and this part of the world today, the flow of Nile is unstoppable. #INDvsAUS
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 17, 2017
teams in yellow tend to do well in chennai #INDvAUS
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) September 17, 2017
11-2 after 5.1 ovrs.
Welcome to International cricket after a season of Ranji trophy in Sri Lanka. #INDvAUS
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) September 17, 2017
Maybe Kohli can make a compromise and only endorse… COKE ZERO???
— Sidin (@sidin) September 17, 2017
its seems that India v Sri Lanka is still not over..
the only diff is that we are Sri Lanka now— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) September 17, 2017
Ind: 87/5
3 wickets taken by Coulter Nile
1 by Rohit Sharma
1 by Kedar Jadhav#INDvAUS— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 17, 2017
*Still waiting for the day Rohit Sharma wouldn't get out playing a foolish shot* #INDvAUS
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) September 17, 2017
Virat Kohli has 27 ducks in his professional career but Nathan Coulter-Nile is the only bowler to dismiss him for a duck TWICE. #INDvAUS
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) September 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/909333249289158657
Kohli and Dhoni in collective voice after team meeting:
Aur haan, team mein rehna hai to jab do run daudne ko bola jaaye to daudo.— cricBC (@cricBC) September 17, 2017
Rahane chased wide delivery got out
Kohli chased wide delivery got out
Manish chased wide delivery got out
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 17, 2017
