Australia clinched a 2-1 series win against India in a thrilling third ODI match played in Chennai on Wednesday. The victory also saw Australia reclaim their position as the Top ODI ranking team in the world. The match began with Australia winning the toss and opting to bat on a dry and soft surface, despite the threat of dew. The team attacked from the very start, going all in during the powerplay, which resulted in numerous starts but no fifty.
Despite a quick start from India, Australia’s bowlers hung in and managed to take six wickets between them, with spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar doing most of the damage. The defense was even more impressive given that Cameron Green’s illness left Australia with only Marcus Stoinis as the fifth bowler. Stoinis proved to be a revelation, bowling economically and even taking a wicket in his 9.1 overs for just 43 runs.
Both teams’ innings followed a similar pattern, with a quick start during the powerplay followed by the pitch playing tricks and some aggressive shot-making leading to soft-looking dismissals. The most surprising dismissal of the match was Virat Kohli holing out to long-off in Ashton Agar’s final over, despite scoring the only half-century of the game. With Hardik Pandya scoring quickly at the other end and the required run rate less than a run per ball, Kohli’s dismissal was a crucial blow to India’s hopes of winning the match.
Australia’s victory was all the more impressive because it ended India’s four-year unbeaten series streak at home. The team’s aggressive approach paid off, despite the risks involved in choosing to bat first on a surface that could have been impacted by dew. The win also saw Australia reclaim their position as the top-ranked ODI team in the world, highlighting their dominance in the 50-over format of the game.
Australia’s batters started well, making the most of the powerplay, with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head taking them to 61 for 0. Pandya’s introduction put on immediate brakes, with Head and Marsh both dismissed soon after. David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne tried to steady the innings but eventually fell to the spin of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. Stoinis and Carey added 58 in 53 deliveries, and Sean Abbott led the lower order with 26 off 23, as Australia finished on 302.
India’s loss was uncharacteristic, with risks taken from both ends at crucial moments in the chase. Kohli’s dismissal was particularly costly, as he was anchoring the chase with Pandya doing the quick scoring at the other end. Australia had more depth in their batting than India, which proved to be the difference in the end.
In conclusion, Australia’s victory in the third ODI against India was a thrilling and hard-fought affair. The team’s aggressive approach, both while batting and bowling, paid off in the end, allowing them to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. With this win, Australia has re-established their dominance in the world of ODI cricket and sent a clear message to their opponents that they remain a force to be reckoned with. Australia beat India by 21 runs in the third ODI of the series.
India was chasing a target of 303 but lost wickets at crucial junctures. After a flying start from openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli batted beautifully to keep the scoreboard ticking. However, his dismissal followed by a third straight golden duck for Suryakumar Yadav left India needing 85 off 88 with four wickets in hand. Hardik Pandya looked set to take India home, but he too perished to a big shot, leaving the tail with an improbable 45 to get off 29. India lost by 21 runs.
