NEW DELHI: Opener Rohit Sharma struck an unbeaten century, Virat Kohli made a fighting half-century, and pacer Harshit Rana grabbed four wickets as India defeated Australia by nine wickets in the third and final ODI on Saturday, though they lost the series 1-2.Rana’s brilliant spell of 4/39 helped bowl Australia out for 236 in 46.4 overs, setting the stage for a dominant Indian chase. Rohit then led the way with an unbeaten 121 off 125 balls. He first shared a crucial 69-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill (24) before joining forces with Kohli (74* off 81 balls) for an unbroken 168-run stand, guiding India to the target in 38.3 overs.
After reaching his half-century, Kohli initially forgot to acknowledge the crowd or celebrate, until Rohit signaled him to mark the milestone.Watch the video hereDuring the innings, Kohli also broke another record, becoming the second-highest run-getter in ODI cricket. The No.3 batter, famously known as the ‘Chase Master,’ overcame subdued form in the first two ODIs to register his 75th ODI fifty and surpass 2,500 runs against Australia in the format.Kohli also surpassed Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara’s tally of 14,234 runs (in 404 ODIs) in his 293rd ODI innings. The former India captain now sits just behind legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who leads with 18,426 runs. Impressively, Kohli maintains a superior average of 57.69 across 305 ODIs, compared to Tendulkar’s 44.83 in 463 matches. With his career nearing its end in ODIs, Kohli is set to finish as the second-highest run-getter behind his idol, Tendulkar.In the match, Kohli’s unbeaten 74, including seven fours, and Rohit’s 33rd ODI ton — which was also his 50th international century — powered India to a nine-wicket victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground, even as Australia secured the series 2-1. Rohit was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series for scoring 202 runs across three games.The two sides will now clash in a five-match T20I series, beginning October 29.
