With a 1-1 draw, India and Australia met at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Virat Kohli won the litter and chose the bowl. India made three changes: debutants Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav and Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Mohammed Siraj, Ambati Rayudu and Kuldeep Yadav. Australia replaced Jason Behrendorff and Nathan Lyon with Billy Stanlake and Adam Zampa.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India the perfect start when he returned both openers early. He first got Alex Carey to deliver a shipment directly to Virat Kohli. Aaron Finch made only 14 of 24 deliveries before Bhuvneshwar sealed him at the gates in 9th position. Australia had dropped by 27/2 after only 9 overs.
Shaun Marsh and Usman Khawaja then formed a 73-run partnership before Yuzvendra Chahal attacked and fired both batsmen in his first term. Chahal saw Marsh’s attack early and let the ball slide down while Dhoni completed the formalities.
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Khawaja then threw his wicket away as a leading edge threw the ball back to Chahal, who took the catch comfortably. Australia dropped to 4/101 after 24 overs.
Glenn Maxwell, along with Marcus Stoinis, had barely managed to run 22 runs together when Stoinis bridged a shipment of Chahal to Rohit Sharma. Australia was less than five at 123.
As Australia fought for runs, Maxwell opted for the Indian bowlers. He added a quick fire to 26 of 19 balls before losing his wicket. Maxwell tried to pull a doorman from Mohammed Shami, but Bhuvneshwar stood on a deep leg and stormed in before making a brilliant dive.
Peter Handscomb brought his half century into the 42nd minute when he led Australia beyond the 200 mark. Chahal then ran through the Australian tail as he sent Jyhe Richardson, Handcomb and Adam Zampa back in quick succession. The leg spinner finished with the best results of the career of 6/42, which also reached the record of Ajit Agarkar as the best bowling figure in Australia. Shami tore Stanlake off when India retired for 230 runs in 48.4 overs.
India’s chase had an unfavorable start as Peter Siddle sent early to sixth place by Rohit Sharma. Sharma got a lead, flying on Shaun Marsh, who caught a clever catch on the first slip-up. Sharma’s wicket meant that Virat Kohli joined Shikhar Dhawan in the middle.
Shikhar Dhawan had a start again, but could not profit from it. He scored 23 of 46 balls before returning a shipment of Marcus Stoinis to the bowler, who showed great reflexes to grab the catch. Then MS Dhoni came to bat and was dropped on the first shipment from Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell put down a sitter after Dhoni had played a loose cut.
Virat Kohli along with MS Dhoni brought up a 54-run stand to control India’s chase before the Indian skipper played a rare bad shot off a Jhye Richardson delivery to give a simple catch to keeper Alex Carey. Kohli walked back after making 46 with India at 113/3. (Image: AP)
MS Dhoni (87 *) and Kedar Jadhav (61 *) signed an unbeaten 121-run partnership to take India to victory. MS Dhoni reiterated his experience in pressure situations as he anchored India’s chase. Kedar Jadhav provided the seasoned veteran with good support and ended with a hit rate of 107.01.
MS Dhoni (87 *) and Kedar Jadhav (61 *) signed an unbeaten 121-run partnership to take India to victory. MS Dhoni reiterated his experience in pressure situations as he anchored India’s chase. Kedar Jadhav provided the seasoned veteran with good support and ended with a hit rate of 107.01.
