India finally managed a win against Australia in the Third ODI to avoid a series whitewash.
Australia had already clinched the ODI series win by 2-1 but India has finally managed a win by 13 runs in the third ODI to avoid a whitewash in the series.
With India winning the toss at Manuka Oval, Virat Kohli elects to bat first with some changes in the playing 11 with T. Natarajan doing his international debut, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav in place of Mayank Aggarwal, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Shami and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Shubman Gill Opened for the first time in a three-match ODI along with Shikhar Dhawan. Virat Kohli seemed consistent with a contribution of 63 runs off 78 balls.
Virat Kohli has also broken the record of being the fastest cricketer to score 12,000 ODI runs. The record held by the legend, Sachin Tendulkar earlier. Kohli broke the record in his just 242nd innings with a single off in Sean Abott’s ball in the 13th over.
With a huge contribution of Hardik Pandya scoring 92 runs off 76 balls and Ravindra Jadeja scoring 66 runs off 50 balls which helped India to increase the total run chase. Adding to that the bowling lineup performing much better than earlier with Shardul Thakur picking up Steve Smith, Sean Abbott, and Moises Henriques’s wicket, T. Natarajan taking his first international wicket of Marnus Labuschagne and Ashton Agar and Kuldeep Yadav with Cameron Green’s wicket.
This is what Virat Kohli, India Skipper said after the match: “We were put under the pump in the first and second half of Australia’s innings. Look I think the pitch was much better here in terms of helping the bowlers and that’s why I think the bowlers did well here. We were clinical with the ball and in the field. Hopefully, we take the momentum forward. I would have liked to go on for a bit longer, but it was a great partnership between Pandya and Jadeja. The team needed that kind of a boost. You need those kinds of moments, especially when you play against a team like Australia.”
This win definitely pumped up India’s confidence for the upcoming T20 Series against Australia as this match has provided a space for the potential players to come up with an agreeable strategy.
