IND beat AUS by 9 wickets; RO-KO brings back nostalgia with 168* runs partnership

The iconic duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli delivered a masterclass in Sydney, guiding India to a commanding 9-wicket victory over Australia in the third and final ODI. While the win was a massive confidence boost, it served only as a consolation as Australia ultimately sealed the three-match series 2-1. India chased down the modest target of 237 with ease, powered by a majestic century from Rohit Sharma and a clinical half-century from Kohli, ensuring the visitors ended the tough tour on a high note.

The day began with Australian captain Mitchell Marsh winning the toss and opting to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Despite a brisk start from the openers, with Travis Head (29) and Marsh (41) putting on a 61-run stand, the Australian innings faltered dramatically against a disciplined Indian bowling attack. Australia were eventually bundled out for a below-par score of 236 in 46.4 overs, a total far short of what looked possible at one stage.

India's bowling effort was spearheaded by young pacer Harshit Rana, who justified his selection with a career-best spell of 4 wickets for 39 runs, ripping through the lower-middle order. Spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar were instrumental in stifling the run flow and picking up crucial wickets in the middle overs. Sundar finished with figures of 2/44, dismissing the well-set Matt Renshaw (56) who was Australia's top-scorer for the innings.

The run-chase, which was expected to be tricky, turned into a batting exhibition for the visitors. After Shubman Gill (24) was dismissed early, it was the partnership between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli that took complete control. They strung together a massive partnership that saw India cruise past the finish line with plenty of overs to spare.

Rohit Sharma was the aggressor, notching up his 33rd ODI century—a special knock that showcased his vintage form. In doing so, he set a new record for the most ODI centuries (six) by any visiting batsman on Australian soil, surpassing the previous record. Virat Kohli, coming off two low scores, anchored the innings perfectly, scoring his 75th ODI fifty and passing former Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history.

While the day belonged to India’s batting resurgence, the match was marred by an injury to middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer, who had to be taken to the hospital for assessment after injuring his left rib cage while taking a spectacular running catch to dismiss Alex Carey. Despite this incident, the focused performance from the team secured a vital victory, ensuring they avoided a clean sweep in the series against a strong Australian side.