India Decimate Australia In Both Test And One-Day Cricket To Create History Down Under

India's 2018-19 tour of Australia ended on a happy note on Friday with Virat Kohli & Co winning both the ODI and Test series. At the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground, Mahendra Singh Dhoni anchored India's chase in the third and final ODI to power the visitors to their maiden bilateral ODI series Down Under.

Chasing a below-par target of 231 runs, a vigilant Dhoni played one of his better knocks in recent times to help India romp home with four balls to spare.

Dhoni, who won the man of the series award, remained not out on 87 off 114 balls. He stitched an unbeaten 121-run fourth-wicket stand with Kedar Jadhav (61 off 57).

In the process, the former India captain also became the fourth Indian player to complete 1,000 ODI runs in Australia after Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 37-year-old laboured to a 96-ball 51 in a losing cause in the first match in Sydney, then hit a match-defining unbeaten fifty (55 off 54) in the second match at Adelaide to help India level the three-match series.

Earlier, the man of the match Yuzvendra Chahal took career-best figures of 6/42 to restrict the Aussies to a meagre total.

The tour started with a rain-affected three-match T20I series which ended 1-1 to the chagrin of Indians. Then India won the four-match Test series 2-1, before taking the ODI honours with an identical 2-1 scoreline.

Watch Indians fans backing Men in Blue:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-Kedar Jhadav stand taking the game away from the Aussies. The fall of Virat Kohli indeed presented a good chance to the hosts to dictate the terms, but instead, a slow and steady partnership has established itself as the decisive move for India.

With four overs left, India still required 33 runs at the rate of 8.25. Dhoni (71 off 104) and Jadhav (43 off 47) have stitched a 85-run stand in 96 balls for the fourth wicket.

Jhye Richardson has provided a window of opportunity to Australia by removing Indian captain Virat Kohli (46 off 62 balls) off the last ball of the 30th over. Simple caught behind for Alex Carey.

Kohli and MS Dhoni added 54 runs for the third-wicket. Dhoni was then joined by Kedar Jhadav, who's playing the first game of the series. The former India captain (38 off 60)was on course for his third success fifty. After 32 overs, India were 120/3.

India lost Shikhar Dhawan, once again failing to convert the start, for 23 off 46 balls. A caught and bowled by Marcus Stoinis. Then,  Glenn Maxwell dropped MS Dhoni the first ball the former Indian captain faced. India were 60/2 after 16 overs, still needing 171 runs. Virat Kohli was batting at 27 off 36 balls.

India lost opener Rohit Sharma (9 off 17) with veteran Aussie bowler Peter Siddle claiming the prized wicket. Caught at first slip by Shaun Marsh. India were 16/1 after seven overs.

Nervy start for India as openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan bid to settle down against some disciplined bowling from Jhye Richardson and Peter Siddle. India were 1/0 after the first two overs.

It was Yuzvendra Chahal. The wrist-spinner rocked the Aussie batsmen at the home-ground of spin great Shane Warne with figures of 6/42. India need 231 runs to win their first ever bilateral ODI series Down Under.

Yuzvendra Chahal added another wicket to his bag, that of Marcus Stoinis (10 off 20) in the 30th over, caught by Rohit Sharma. Five overs later, Mohammed Shami removed Glenn Maxwell (26 off 19) thanks to a Bhuvneshwar Kumar stunning catch. Aussie were 178/6 after 37 overs.

Then, Yuzvendra Chahal removed both Shaun Marsh (39 off 54) and Usman Khawaja (34 off 51) in his first over. The Aussie pair was rebuilding the innings, with a 73-run third-wicket stand. He first dragged Marsh with a WIDE delivery with MS Dhoni completing the rituals with yet another brilliant stumping. That happened off his second delivery of the series. Then three balls later, had Khawaja caught and bowled. Aussies were 105/4 after 25 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading India's charge at MCG. He dismissed both the Aussie openers – Alex Carey (5 off 11 balls) in the third over, caught by Virat Kohli at first slip and Aaron Finch (14 off 24 balls), trapped in front in the ninth over. Aussies were 32/2 after 11 overs.

The play has since been resumed with Alex Carey hitting the first boundary of the innings off the third ball of the second over, bowled by Mohammed Shami.

Only two deliveries bowled, and the rain's back and so thus the covers. Play stopped. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was bowling to Aaron Finch. Australia were 1 for o loss.

Virat Kohli wins the toss for the first time in the ODI series, and India will bowl first. But the start of play has been delayed by 10 minutes.

A huge day for Vijay Shanker. The all-rounder is all set to make his debut. Mohammed Siraj makes way for Shankar, Yuzvendra Chahal in for Kuldeep Yadav, Kedar Jadhav in for Ambati Rayudu.

With series on the line, this is a big move from India – to make as many as three changes.  Same for the Aussies, a couple of changes for them too. India's playing XI:

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Peter Siddle, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa.

Toss Update: Rain has delayed the coin toss at the MCG.

Weather report: But there are covers at the MCG. Slight drizzle, and possible slight delay. Otherwise, the forecast is good. Toss will be in a while.

After making history as the first ever Indian team to win a Test series Down Under, Virat Kohli & Co will look to create another piece of history when they take on Australia in the tour concluding third and final ODI match at today at iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne.

In a World Cup, winning their first ever, again, ODI bilateral series in Australia will do wonders to the morale of the visiting team. And after almost two months in the country, the Indian camp must be seeing the possibility of doing so, especially with those good wins.