News Karnataka
Friday, March 29 2024
Cricket
Sports

India defeats Australia by 9 wickets

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Jaipur:It was a day that will be remembered in the hisory of Sawai Man Singh Stadium of Jaipur which witnessed the highest run chase by the men in blue against any team.

It began with Australia rogering Indian bowling and it ended with the hosts doing the exact same to theirs, at an unbelievable pace.

It was the second highest run chase in the world behind South Africa’s overhaul of Australia’s 434 in Johannesburg in 2005-06. The victory also levelled the series 1-1 after visitors had won the first ODI in Pune.  

Few, though, would have given India a chance. But the ferocity with which Kohli (100 n.o., 52b, 8×4, 7×6) batted not only zoomed him to the history books for raising the fastest century by an Indian, surpassing Virender Sehwag, but also overshadowed the brilliant efforts of Rohit (141 n.o., 123b, 17×4, 4×6) and Shikhar Dhawan (95). Kohli’s was the seventh fastest ODI ton ever.

 Dhawan, reprieved on 18 by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin who grassed the skier off Clint McKay, rekindled some memories of his Test debut at Mohali, when timing and his wide range of strokes took the wind out of Australia’s sails.

After the ‘life’, Dhawan tore into the attack. So did Rohit, with a controlled charge initially and then with a flurry of shots that showed his character when faced with pressure. There was pressure, no doubt, but Dhawan and Rohit left nothing to chance and blazed their way to glory.

Australia was flattened by Rohit’s innovative dominance, some of his piercing shots leaving the field standing. He grew in stature over the course of the innings, even as Kohli played his part to perfection as India scaled the peak of 360 to win — the same target it was confronted with in the 2003 World Cup final.

But, then, that was a different Australia. This team is a mere shadow of it.

It was a pity that the sections either side of the pavilion featured a sizeable number of empty seats. This certainly was not a performance to be missed for fans of this youthful team.

India was ragged and indolent when it bowled, and short of confidence too, as Australia packed punch and purpose in its batting.

Having elected to bat, captain George Bailey led the plunder of runs as the hapless Indians conceded runs to all possible corners of the field.

The pitch played true, and so did the Australians, taking the attack by the scruff of the neck and leaving M.S. Dhoni exasperated and frustrated.

Nothing worked for the Indians, nothing at all. The bowling was awful, to say the least, and the fielding an embarrassment on a few occasions.

Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja felt the impact of the Australian charge that saw the first five batsmen notch up a half century each — a first in an ODI.

It was also the Aussies’ highest total on Indian soil. There was a pattern they stuck to diligently with some savage and some skilfully placed shots.

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