Australia beat India in final ODI as Maxwell, Marsh shines , India win series 2-1

 

After losing back to back 5 ODIs, Australia brought back some of their top players for the final ODI vs India and outplayed the hosts by 66 runs.  After their top 4 scored sparkling 50s , Glenn Maxwell turned out to be the unlikely bowling hero getting 4 wickets as India lost track in a big chase to lose at the end .

Winning the toss and batting first Australia were off to a rapid start with Marsh and Warner reeling off boundaries . Cuts , pulls , straight hits , flicks by both batters combined for a rollicking 78 run stand for the first wicket before Warner tried to paddle Prasidh to be caught behind for 56 off just 34 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes .

Smith played well using the gaps in the field for his crisp boundaries while Marsh kept playing dazzling shots but both batters were struggling in the extreme heat and humidity . Finally at 96 off 84 balls , Marsh smacked Kuldeep straight to the point fielder and missed his well deserved hundred . He hit 13 fours and 3 sixes. 

Marnus Labuschagne is in great one day form and he showed it again playing crisp strokes and kept the scoreboard moving comfortably .Smith looked set for a big score  but at 74 off 61 balls he was lbw to Siraj . This triggered a fall of few quick wickets and Indian bowlers applied the breaks.  Carey (11), Maxwell (5) and Green (9) fell cheaply, Maxwell to a great yorker off Bumrah who also finally dismissed Marnus for a superb 72 . Cummins scrambled 19 runs as finally Australia reached a formidable 352/7 . For India , Bumrah who struggled initially got wickets and Kuldeep got 2 wickets. 

In reply India started brilliantly solely due to skipper Rohit Sharma's blazing batting on his return to the XI  . Rohit was playing the Aussie quicks superbly as he unleashed an array of dazzling shots in the powerplay, driving and pulling with disdain while Washington Sundar who was opening as Gill was rested was struggling to score before he pulled Cummins for a 6 . Finally Sundar departed for 18 off 30 balls caught brilliantly by Marnus off Maxwell . 

Kohli , who also returned in the XI , and Rohit got into a nice partnership as India was setting themselves for a big chase before Rohit after scoring a dazzling 81 off 57 balls with 5 fours and 6 sixes , drove one straight back to Maxwell who was surprised to see the ball stuck in his palm . Kohli duly reached his 50 but at 56 he tried to pull Maxwell , miscued and was caught by Smith at midwicket . 

Shreyas and Rahul were restricted well by the Australian bowlers . Rahul (26) could not accelerate as he skied Starc to Carey .Surya (8) went cheaply , caught at midwicket off Maxwell who finally bowled a dangerous looking Shreyas (48) as India slipped up badly in their big chase . The Aussie bowlers specially Maxwell used the conditions well varying their speed and lengths to restrict the Indians.

After Shreyas dismissal , Australia tightened the screws as Jadeja (35) could not produce the fiery innings that was required from him while the Indian inings folded up finally for 286 with player of the match  Maxwell taking 4 wickets and Hazlewood getting 2 .

India thus won the series 2-1 and thus avenging the earlier ODI series loss to Australia in March by the same margin . Shubman Gill for his two brilliant knocks of 74 and 104 was awarded the player of the series .