2 centuries help India crush Australia in 2nd ODI to take unassailable series lead

 

Australia succumbed to another big chase to lose their 5th consecutive ODI starting from the 3rd game in South Africa as India crushed them by 99 runs in a revised run chase due to an extended rain stoppage . Brilliant hundreds from Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill and top class bowling by the Indian spinners laid the foundation for a massive Indian victory . 

Put in to bat first ,  India lost Gaekwad (8) early , caught behind off Hazlewood but Shreyas Iyer came out at number 3 and immediately started playing blazing shots around the ground while Gill took his time . Runs flowed as India were rollicking along at good rate . Soon Gill started to shift gears as they put on a breathtaking stand of 200 in 27 overs . Shreyas after months of injury recuperation and bad luck finally got his much deserved hundred , in innings filled with dazzling strokeplay . He was soon out for 105 off 90 balls with 11 fours and 3 sixes . Gill completed his hundred soon after but he too was out soon for 104 of 97 balls with 6 dazzling fours and 4 glorious sixes . However Rahul appeared in great nick as he played a neat innings of 58 while Ishan (31) played a brief cameo but it was Surya Kumar Yadav who played an absolute blinder after a slow start . Yadav unfurled his explosive shots as he totally destroyed the Aussie bowling in the final 10 overs with breathtaking strokeplay typical of him . Surya was notout for 72 off 37 balls and he smacked 6 fours and 6 stunning sixes to take India to a massive 399/5 thus setting Australia a massive  400 run target which is rarely chased down in ODI cricket history. 

In reply  Pradish Krishna playing his first match of the series rattled the Aussie top order getting Short (9)  and Smith (0)  off consecutive deliveries . Warner and Labuschagne halted any further collapse but then rains came down heavily to halt play for an hour . 

The Duckworth Lewis revised target was 317 in 33 overs and that badly affected the Australia chase which was already under pressure. Marnus after trying some lusty hits was bowled by Ashwin for 27 , ending the 80 run stand with Warner who tried innovative move by trying to bat right handed against Ashwin.  Finally Warner's (53) knock ended in bizarre circumstances as he was lbw to Ashwin reverse sweeping right handed  but strangely didnt review as their was a big inside edge which replays showed later .

That triggered a collapse as wickets fell apart to rash shots and Australia slumped to 140/8 with match almost done and dusted but Sean Abbott had other ideas . He along with Hazlewood launched a fierce assault on the Indian bowling as the ball travelled repeatedly into the stands . After a rollicking 77 run entertaining stand , Hazlewood (23) was bowled by Shami but he showed that he can hit big sixes . Finally Abbott after a breathtaking innings of 54 off 36 balls was bowled by a big spinner from Jadeja. Australia 217 all out had lost by 99 runs chasing a revised target of 317 . 

For India , Ashwin bowled beautifully and now looks in line to play in the world cup . Ashwin and Jadeja both took 3 wickets while Prasidh took 2 wickets and Shami 1 wicket . 

India has now taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with one to play at Rajkot before the teams will go into the World Cup mode .