Dhoni, Kedhar seal win, India takes series 2-1
India has remained unbeaten in Australia winning the Test and ODI series 2-1 and sharing the T20Is
Published : Jan 18, 2019 07:48 IST
Follow Sportstar's live updates from the third and final ODI between India and Australia in Melbourne.
Man of the Series: Mahendra Singh Dhoni - "It was a slow wicket, so it was difficult to hit whenever you wanted to. No point going after the bowlers who were bowling well, so we wanted to take it deep and that was the plan. Kedar did a great job in executing."
MoM: Yuzvendra Chahal for his six wickets. He says, "I enjoyed bowling for the first time in Australia (internationals). The ball was spinning a little bit, so I planned to bowl slow and vary my pace. Looking forward to the New Zealand series."
4:13pm: Jadhav goes for the mid-wicket area this time. That's four more runs, the win and the series for India.
4:10pm: Jadhav picks Siddle's slower one again, over the covers for a well timed boundary. Required- 9 runs off 10 balls now.
4:06pm: 18 runs, 13 balls showed the giant screen at Melbourne when Jadhav goes for another boundary, this time a square drive to backward point. India nearing history, yet again!
3:59pm: Marcus Stoinis brought into the attack in the 48th over and Dhoni plays the first ball in the air. Got lucky as the Aussie skipper drops him at mid off but that's not all. Jadhav calls for a quick run next and that sees him at danger at the bowler's end. Saved by some centimeters.
3:46pm: Whoa! Kedhar Jadhav middles it this time and bam! Siddle could just watch the ball sail to the long-off boundary in no time.
3:42pm: Four. A welcome boundary from Dhoni when the asking rate was mounting over nine. IND 145 for 3 and need 45 off 31 balls.
3:24pm: Dhoni and Jadhav in charge of seeing India home in this tricky chase of 231. Both have forged an unbeaten fifty-run partnership as the visitor still needs 59 off 53 balls.
3:09pm: Third successive half-century for Dhoni in this series. India 150/3 in 38 overs and need 81 off 72 balls. This is the kind of situation, Dhoni thrives in.
2:43pm: The required rate has climbed up to more than six. Dhoni again finds himself in this peculiar situation during a chase. IND 125 for 3 in 33.5 overs.
2:30pm: OUT. Jhye Richardson picks up the big fish, Virat Kohli is caught behind for 46. Length ball outside off, Kohli pushes at it and a nick to the wicketkeeper. India 113/3 in 30 overs, chasing Australia's 230.
2:27pm: Dhoni and Kohli bring up the fifty-run partnership as India moves to 109/2 in 29 overs.
Four. Thick outside edge, ball beats the wicketkeeper and races down to the third man fence. Dhoni will take that.
2:15pm: After initial scratchy running between the wickets - Kohli and Dhoni have put up an unbeaten 45-run partnership. IND 104 for 2 in 28 overs.
Four. Dhoni steps out and smashes Stoinis wide of mid-on. The former India skipper looks a different batsman after that match-winning knock in the second ODI.
1:50pm: Direct hit and Kohli was gone at the non-striker's end. The ball misses the bails by inches. IND 76 for 2 in 21 overs at a run-rate of 3.64.
1:32pm: Marcus Stoinis strikes in his first over and a soft caught & bowled dismissal for Shikhar Dhawan (23). He could have got another one, had Maxwell at point not dropped Dhoni at backward point. This could have really put India under pressure.
1:25pm: With a paltry score on the board to defend, Australia needs to attack and a clutch of wickets can put them back in control. But looks difficult with Kohli around, who looks well-set after hitting those two boundaries off Stanlake. IND 57 for 1 in 16 overs.
Four. Short and wide from Stanlake and Kohli cuts it brilliantly to the square fence.
1:06pm: The scoring rate has picked up after Kohli walked in, Dhawan at the other end also looks confident. At the end of 10 overs, IND 26/1 and there will be a bowling change. Glenn Maxwell introduced.
12:48pm: A watchful start by the Indian openers with the ball zipping away, especially Peter Siddle creating problems for Dhawan. And it comes out true as Siddle strikes with the wicket of Rohit Sharma (9), caught at first slip. IND 15/1 in 6 overs.
12:24pm: All in readiness for the start of India's chase of 231. Jhye Richardson to start the proceedings as Rohit and Shikhar walk out to the crease. The target won't be a concern for India but with overcast conditions and the pitch being double-paced and having variable bounce could be tricky.
Chahal magic!
- Playing in his first match of the series, Chahal creates history by sharing the best bowling figures with Ajit Agarkar (6/42) in an ODI in Australia
- Also no spinner before him had taken a six-wicket haul in an ODI in Australia
11:51am: It was a good toss to win as India bundles Australia out for 230. Chahal returned career-best figures of 6 for 42 while Shami chipped in with two scalps. A brilliant bowling performance by India. India's run-chase in a moment, stay tuned...
11:41am: That looked out the moment it hit Handscomb's pad. With the wicket of Handscomb, Chahal picks up his five-wicket haul. What a spell this has been by the legspinner. Australia 8 down and 250 looks difficult with four overs remaining.
11:30am: Out. Chahal picks his fourth wicket as he removes Jhye Richardson (16), caught by Jadhav at short midwicket. Australia 7 down.
11:21am: Peter Handscomb brings up his fifty off 57 balls and his job is not done yet. Australia 197/6 in 42 overs. Meanwhile, substitute Rayudu goes off the field after hurting himself fielding in the deep. Hope, nothing serious.
11:13am: After this the last 10 overs coming up for Australia and it would be Handscomb who holds key for the host with the tail-enders next in the batting order. AUS 190/6.
Four. Vijay bowls a tad short one and Hanscomb plays a aerial shot to midwicket. Top placement!
Bowling changes. Vijay Shankar and Bhuvneshwar back into the attack.
10:47am: OUT. Brilliant bowling by Shami in the first over of his second spell as he successfully bounces out Maxwell for 26, caught brilliantly by Bhuvneshwar at fine leg. Shami bowls three successive bouncers and the third one turned out to be a wicket-taking one. Australia 161/6 in 34.5 overs.
10:40am: Shami back into the attack with a slip in place. The last over saw Maxwell hitting two boundaries off Chahal.
10:36am: India persisting with Chahal and Jadeja as Australia's last recognised batting pair in Maxwell and Handscomb at the crease. AUS 142/5 in 33 overs.
10:25am: Third wicket for Chahal as the legspinner dismisses Stoinis for 10, caught by Rohit Sharma at first slip. Maxwell is the new batsman at the crease and two slips in place for him. India now in control of the proceedings. AUS 124/5 in 30 overs.
Folks, back home the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals are on, with Kerala having already qualified to the last-four stage. Follow Sportstar's live coverage of Day 4 action.
10:05 am: What a first over by Chahal! He finishes the over with two important scalps of Shaun Marsh (39) and Usman Khawaja (34), both were well-set and their partnership looking threatening. The legspinner foxes Marsh by bowling down the leg and Dhoni with a smart stumping. The fourth delivery of the over, a tame caught and bowled dismissal for Khawaja (34). Chahal has surely brought India back into the game. AUS 101/4 in 24 overs.
9:52am: Kedar Jadhav continues after conceding an expensive last over (15 runs). Meanwhile, Khawaja and Marsh have consolidated Australia's innings with an unbeaten fifty-run stand.
Four. You can't bowl that short to an in-form batsman. Marsh again pulls Jadhav to the same region. AUS 80/2 in 20 overs.
Four. Short one from Jadhav and Marsh pulls it to the midwicket boundary.
9:42am: Bowling change by India after drinks, Ravindra Jadeja brought into the attack. Interestingly, the track has something for the spinners too, with the ball gripping a bit. Jadeja concedes six runs in his first over.
Drinks on the field as Australia look to build on from 55/2 in 17 overs.
9:34am: When Australia was looking to consolidate after the two early wickets, Jadhav provides an opportunity but Dhoni drops an in-form Shaun Marsh on 11. How costly will this drop catch prove?
9:18am: After 10 overs of Bhuvi and Shami, India makes bowling change from both ends with debutant Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav thrown the ball. AUS 37/2 in 12 overs.
9:04am: OUT. Bhuvneshwar strikes again as Finch's struggle against the ball coming in continues. The Australian captain is trapped lbw on 14. Australia two down.
8:53am: A second slip in place and Finch would have been gone as a thick outside edge off Bhuvneshwar runs down to the third man fence. AUS 25/1 in 10 overs.
8:44am: This is going to be an interesting first hour with the ball seaming around. Aaron Finch has made some adjustment to counter the ball coming in by standing outside the crease. AUS 11/1 in 5 overs.
8:35am: OUT. Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes early as he snares Alex Carey for 5, caught in the slips by Virat Kohli. Short of length ball, climbed on the batsman, just enough for an top outside edge. Usman Khawaja is the new man at the crease. AUS 8/1 in 3 overs.
8:30am: Jadeja fires in a throw at the non-striker's end and if on target, Finch was gone by miles. With overcast conditions, the ball is doing a bit for Bhuvneshwar and Shami. AUS 5/0 in 2 overs.
8:20am: Play to resume at 8:25 IST as covers are taken off. The weather forecast is not great either, going to be a start-stop day. Play resumes in Melbourne.
8:07am: The rain is back after two balls were bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Players scamper back to the dressing room and the covers are back. It remains overcast. Stay tuned to this space for updates.
7:57am: As we were all set, the news trickling down from Melbourne is that the start of play has been delayed by 10 minutes due to rain. It seems we don't have to wait more as players take the field, the covers are off too.
Toss: Virat Kohli opts to field as Vijay Shankar makes his ODI debut.
Team news: Vijay Shankar replaces Siraj, Chahal in for Kuldeep, Rayudu makes way for Kedar. For Australia - Stanlake in for Behrendorff, Zampa replaces Lyon.
Teams:
Australia: Alex Carey(w), Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Peter Siddle, Adam Zampa
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(capt), MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal