A superb Indian batting display saw the visitors home by seven wickets to secure a 2-1 ODI series triumph as they finished their tour of Australia on a high, writes SIMON LEWIS.
The recalled MS Dhoni scored a masterful 87 not out to follow up his scores of 51 and 55 not out in the previous two ODIs. Kedar Jadhav was undefeated at the end with Dhoni, having scored 61 runs off 57 balls (7×4, S/R 107.01).
The pair added an undefeated 121 for the fourth wicket off 115 balls, with the winning runs coming with four balls to spare. Dhoni’s runs came off a well-measured 114 balls with six fours after he and skipper Virat Kohli had shared a third-wicket stand of 54 runs, Kohli falling four short of his own half-century.
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The recalled Yuzvendra Chahal starred for India with the ball as they bowled Australia out for 230 in 48.4 overs, Chahal taking the astonishing figures of 10-0-42-6 (econ 4.20), with 32 dot balls. The six-wicket haul was his second ODI five-for and his best ODI figures, as well as equalling the record for the best ODI figures on Australian soil.
Peter Handscomb top-scored for Australia with 58 off 63 balls as most of the Australian batsmen made a start without being able to convert to more substantial innings.
Chahal picked up the Player of the Match award, while MS Dhoni was honoured with the Player of the Series award.
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The Indian touring party will depart Australia after ticking all the boxes, securing the ODI series 2-1 in fine style after also winning the Test series 2-1. The T20I series was shared 1-1 after a no-result in the second match at the MCG.
While Australia’s position in world cricket continues to slip, India is consolidating their position in the top two spots in all formats of the game, and are surely favourites for the World Cup alongside England.
Photo: Mike Owen/Getty Images
