Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 74 off 81 balls, sealing India’s win with a four at the SCG
Rohit Sharma scored a superb 121 off 125*, building a match-winning 128-run partnership with Kohli
India chased 236 with 69 balls to spare, ending the series on a winning note
In what could be his final international appearance in Australia, Virat Kohli made the third India vs Australia ODI match at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday a memorable one.
Virat Kohli and His Timeless Affair With The Chase
Kohli, 36, hit the winning runs as India chased down Australia's 236 all out with 69 balls to spare. A four off Nathan Ellis in the 39th over (third ball) to third man activated an already electric crowd featuring Indian and Australian fans in one of the most iconic sporting venues.
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Even as the 36-year-old, who now resides in London, England, walked out to join Rohit Sharma in the 11th over, the fans rose for a collective standing ovation, acknowledging the legacy of one of cricket's modern greats.
Both Kohli (74 off 81) and Rohit Sharma (121 off 125) returned undefeated after putting up a decisive 168-run second-wicket stand. India, having already conceded the three-match series following defeats in Perth and Adelaide, needed a Ro-Ko moment to salvage some pride. And the two former captains produced an unforgettable cricket moment.
Indian Bowlers Set The tone
Meanwhile, the Indian bowlers set the tone when asked to bowl first. Harshit Rana, who got to play ahead of Arshdeep Singh, claimed four wickets (4/39) to derail Australia’s innings. After a lot of criticism, India included Kuldeep Yadav into the squad and the impact was visible.
Kuldeep took a wicket and conceded only 50 runs in his 10-over quota. Washington Sundar took 2 wickets while conceding only 44 runs. Axar Patel bowled only 6 overs still ended up being the most economical, taking one wicket and conceding only 18 runs. The collective effort from all the bowlers helped India restrict Australia on just 236 runs.
