Rohit Sharma's rollicking century went in vain as Australia survived a few anxious moments before pulling off a tense four-wicket win over India in a Tri-series ODI match on Sunday. After opener Aaron Finch's confident 96-run knock, Australia were placed comfortably at 216 for two in a chase of 268 but India staged a late comeback by taking three quick wickets.
India dismissed Steve Smith (47), Finch and George Bailey (5) to raise hopes of a turnaround but Brad Haddin (13) and James Faulkner (9) batted sensibly to deny India a dramatic finish. The hosts ended at 269 for six in exactly 49 overs with Faulknar dispatching a Buvneshwar Kumar full-toss to boundary ropes for winning runs.
Electing to bat, India had posted 267 for eight, built around Sharma's 138-run knock, his sixth One-day hundred. He blasted nine boundaries and four sixes in 139 balls to score his third century against Australia. The Mumbaikar put on 126 runs for the fourth wicket with Suresh Raina (51) even as Australian paceman Mitchell Starc produced a fine bowling display to pick 6-43 in his 10 overs.
Australia began their chase in a confident manner with Finch and David Warner (24) putting on 51 for the first wicket. Umesh Yadav broke the stand by dismissing Warner but seasoned Shane Watson lent solidity to the Australian innings with his 41. Yadav denied Finch his sixth ODI hundred by having the batsman caught behind but at that time Australia were only 49 runs away from the victory target.
Finch controlled his 127-ball innings well, hitting five shots to the fence and two over the ropes. Smith, Watson and Glenn Maxwell (20) did not score big but their contributions proved crucial for Australia, who had beaten England in the opener on Friday. India will take on England in their second match on Tuesday and again square off against Australia on January 26.
Australia's chase looked on course but things went awry in the with the loss of Smith, who swatted a slower short-delivery from Mohammed Shami straight to R Ashwin at mid-wicket. It sparked a mini-collapse as Finch was dismissed by Yadav in the very next over and Ashwin had Bailey stumped. Shami hobbled off with a possible knee-injury in the 47th over.
It looked a closer finish than expected but Faulkner and Haddin held their nerves to romp home. Earlier, India had a horrendous start as they were reduced to 59 for three in 12.5 overs. Opener Shikhar Dhawan (2) was removed in the first over of the innings itself, caught at second slip off Starc. Ajinkya Rahane (12) had been listed to bat at number four in the team-sheets but he came out at the fall of the first wicket. He put on 30 runs for the 2nd wicket with Rohit.
Just as they were beginning to look comfortable at the crease, debutant Gurinder Sandhu (1/58) got Rahane to attempt a high cut and instead was caught behind by keeper Brad Haddin. That brought Virat Kohli (9) to the crease but the star batsman was off-colour. He miscued a pull-shot off Faulkner (1/63) and was caught by George Bailey at mid-on.
Raina then joined Rohit at the crease and two played sensibly to dig their side out of the rot. The left-hander was dismissed in the 35th over. The opener along with captain MS Dhoni brought up the 200-mark in the 40th over. But Starc returned to the attack and removed three Indian batsmen — Dhoni (19), Axar Patel (0) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0).
The fourth wicket stand between Rohit and Raina formed the bedrock of the Indian innings as the duo stabilised the visitors after being pushed on the back foot. By the time their 50-run partnership came up in the 23rd over, runs had started to flow with ease. Rohit reached his fifty off 68 balls. They brought up their 100-partnership in the 31st over and this prompted them to take the batting power-play in the 34th over itself.
In the next over, Raina reached his 33rd ODI half-century off 61 balls but was dismissed, hitting Starc straight to Maxwell at mid-on. The fall of a wicket early in the powerplay meant only 19 runs came off it, even as Dhoni (19) and Rohit looked to up the scoring rate. Rohit got to his hundred off 109 balls in the 37th over, his eventual score the highest in an ODI at this ground by an Indian batsman against Australia. The previous best was 100 runs by Sourav Ganguly way back in January 2000.
Dhoni and Rohit brought up the 200 in the 40th over, but then Starc returned to the attack to remove the Indian captain and Patel with a double-blow in the 44th over.
Brief spat between Sharma & Warner
The incident happened in the 23rd over of India's innings, when Sharma pushed a Faulkner delivery to mid-off and Warner threw the ball towards the striker's end but the ball went through Sharma's legs and wicket-keeper Haddin missed it as India stole a single. Warner and Sharma were then engaged in a verbal spat after the opener ran for an overthrow. In the end, it took the umpires a few minutes to separate them.