Cricket Australia. (Photo Souce: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Brilliant captaincy from Steven Smith and all-round effort from the Australian unit saw them beat India by a margin of 21 runs in the series decider at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, eventually sealing the series by a 1-2 margin. Interestingly, not a single innings saw the completion of the full quota of 50 overs in the entire series.
Talking about the game, the visitors won the crucial toss and opted to bat first at the famous MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Australia went with the same opening pair of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, despite the addition of regular-opener David Warner.
The openers didn’t disappoint as they went on a blistering start, adding 68 runs for the first wicket. Hardik Pandya bowled a dream spell to quickly dismantle the top-order, taking three wickets in his three consecutive overs.
Handy contributions from the middle and lower-middle order helped Australia post a par total of 269 in 49 overs. Mitchell Marsh was the top scorer for the Aussies with 47 runs.
In response to 269, Indian openers started well with a good going partnership in the powerplay, scoring 65 runs for the first wicket. Sean Abbott drew the first blood for Australia, picking the wicket of set batter Rohit Sharma. Soon, Adam Zampa joined hands with Abbott to send Gill back to the pavilion.
However, the duo of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli kept the chase going as they added 69 runs for the third wicket, but it was Zampa who broke yet another good-going partnership by picking up the set KL Rahul. India then lost Axar Patel courtesy of some sublime fielding from skipper Steven Smith.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya added 34 more runs for the sixth wicket. Kohli reached his sixty-fifth half-century, then came in the partnership spoiler in the form of Ashton Agar, who picked the wicket of Kohli to get Australia back in the contest. Suryakumar Yadav continued his poor form with his third consecutive golden duck.
The duo of Pandya and Jadeja then showed some resistance as they added 33 runs for the seventh wicket. Zampa broke the good-going partnership for the third time by picking up Pandya. The momentum shifted towards Australia once Pandya got out, eventually defeating India by a margin of 21 runs to seal the three-match series.
Meanwhile, let us look at the stats and numbers from the third ODI between India and Australia:
1 – Suryakumar Yadav became the first batter to score three consecutive golden ducks in a three-match ODI series.
26 – India remained unbeaten for 26 series across format at home. The streak has been ended by Australia.
19 – Kohli registered his 19th fifty-plus score against Australia in ODI.
Most fifty-plus scores against Australia:
24 -Sachin Tendulkar
23 -Vivi Richards
19 -Desmond Haynes
19 – Virat Kohli
18 – Brian Lara
31 – Adam Zampa now has 31 wickets against India in ODI and became Australia’s fifth-leading wicket-taker against India. He surpassed McDermott’s tally of 30 wickets.
27 -Kuldeep Yadav has taken 27 wickets against Australia in ODI.
Most wickets by Kuldeep Yadav against an opponent in ODIs:
27* – Australia
26 – West Indies
24 – South Africa
5 – Hardik Pandya has dismissed Steve Smith for the fifth time in ODI.
Most times dismissing Steven Smith in ODIs:
6 – Adil Rashid
5 – Hardik Pandya
5 – Suryakumar Yadav became the fifth Indian to Score consecutive ducks thrice in ODI.
Indians to score three consecutive ducks in ODI
Sachin Tendulkar
Anil Kumble
Zaheer Khan
Ishant Sharma
Jasprit Bumrah
Suryakumar Yadav
4 -Australia’s 269 today is the fourth-highest total in ODI without a single fifty-plus score.
Highest team total in ODIs without a fifty-plus score:
285 – England v Sri Lanka 2006
281/9 – Pakistan v West Indies 2004/05
271/8 – Netherlands v Canada,2006/07
269 – Australia vs India, 2023
268/9 – Netherlands v Ireland, 2013
49 -Mohammed Siraj became the forty-ninth Indian bowler to pick 100 international wickets.
India in last six ODI bilateral series deciders at home:
Lost by 21 runs vs AUS, Chennai, 2023 (3-match series)
Won by seven wickets vs SA, Delhi, 2022 (3-match series)
Won by seven runs vs ENG, Pune, 2021 (3-match series)
Won by seven wickets vs AUS, Bengaluru, 2020 (3-match series)
Won by four wickets vs WI, Cuttack, 2019 (3-match series
Lost by 35 runs vs AUS, Delhi, 2019 (5-match series).
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