Sunday match was almost action reply of the 1st One Day International. Australia continued to pile up huge score after winning the toss again. Target was even bettered by 15 runs i.e. 390. Winning with ease again. Thereby clinching the 3 match series as 2-0, so far. Again Aussie David Warner 83 and Aaron Finch 60- at present world`s best limited overs opening pair – started the innings with century partnership. This time also Shami got the first wicket. And more importantly Steven Smith literally crushed the Indian bowling with another attacking century to help Aussie total to 389 in 50 overs, beyond India`s reach again. Smith toyed with Indian bowling with such an ease, in his not so eye-pleasing but very effective style when it comes to making big scores. As if he was making amends for his absence against India in 2018 tour which host had lost. This Kangaroo run machine completely smashed India out of the match with his 104 off just 64 balls. All top order batsmen scored half century. Hardik Pandya was able to bowl few overs – 4 with good economy and Mayank Agarwal also rolled his arm 1 over – that was probably the only difference apart from previous match for again clueless Indian bowling facing merciless Australian batting.
From Bumrah, Shami, Saini to Chahal,
Jadeja everybody found wanting. With series already lost Kuldeep and Shardul
Thakur may get a chance in Wednesday match, if tour selectors do not make it
the prestige issue to prove how the selection was right in first two matches.
With still T`20 and Test series to follow frontline bowlers definitely deserve
a break, to psychologically overcome the Aussie mauling.
Both Indian openers did get in but
did not capitalize to go on and make into big one , Mayank 28 and Dhawan 30. Batting
story for India was almost same barring a bit more responsible Virat`s innings
in his 250th match. Failed on very well made 89 off 87 balls, with
same short midwicket spot, but this time for a brilliant catch. Top order
perished one by one after some brilliant sparks in between. KL Rahul batted
brilliantly for his 76 off 66 deliveries, including 5 sixes. But he too failed
with ever mounting required run rate above 10, in 44th over, at 288
for 5 , thereby ending real fight back up till then. Before that Shreyas Iyer
38 also helped stabilize the innings midway involving in 93 runs partnership
along with Virat. Handling much anticipated short length deliveries with confidence.
With Pat Cummins bowling very economically in death overs, varying his pace and
keeping the batsman guessing it was too much a task for Hardik Pandya 28 and
Jadeja 28. To chase down such a mammoth total without any big contribution even
beyond century , from any Indian batsman was always going to be difficult. Let
us see if Team India can salvage some pride on Wednesday in last match.
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