Indian Cricket Team lost the final ODI at Rajkot to Australia by 66 runs on Wednesday. The result comes just before the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup. The first match for Rohit Sharma and his team is against Australia in Chennai on the 8th of October.
The game on Wednesday saw Australia bring out their best with all their regulars back in the team. Fast bowler Mitchell Starc was back along with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. India had already rested Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur.
Rohit Sharma saw Australia elect to bat first after winning the toss. Ishan Kishan was out of the game due to illness. Washington Sundar replaced Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI.
India falters against Australian bowling
The Australian batting came out strong and posted a total of 352 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. The main architects with the bat were the top four Australian batters. David Warner scored his 3rd successive fifty-plus score. Warner was out for 56 as Mitchell Marsh kept going to score 96 runs.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne scored 74 and 72 respectively. The Indian bowlers lacked ideas as the boundaries flowed at will. Mohammad Siraj got the big wicket of Steve Smith while Labuschagne fell to Bumrah. The India pacer also bowled a searing yorker to dismiss Glenn Maxwell during the game.
The 29-year-old Indian pace bowler warmed up for the 2023 ODI World Cup with 3 wickets on a flat pitch. Kuldeep Yadav got the wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Cameron Green. Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna got a wicket each as Jadeja and Sundar went wicketless.
Tasked with chasing 353 to win, India got off to a flier thanks to Rohit Sharma. The Indian skipper was brutal in the initial phase against the Australian fast bowlers. The match changed with the introduction of Glenn Maxwell.
The Australian picked his ODI career-best figures of 4/40 from his 10 overs. Maxwell first dismissed Sundar for 18. This was followed by wickets of Rohit Sharma (81) and Virat Kohli (56). Shreyas Iyer then was out bowled for 48 to give Maxwell his 4th wicket. India ended with 286 all-out in the 49th over to lose the game by 66 runs.
Here’s how the fans reacted:
Australia beat India in the 3rd ODI.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 27, 2023
- India won the series 2-1, now it's time for the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/5UwnNsOCuJ
Ab to aadat h
— Gauravgupta (@Gauravg2152) September 27, 2023
Aise jeene ki😥
Congratulations to kangaroos !
— Mohit (@MohitMe11065970) September 27, 2023
Ye tu hona tha🔥🔥
— Tariq Khan (@khattar_01) September 27, 2023
Indian batting order got exposed
— Amrit Chandravanshi (@Ek_Indian07) September 27, 2023
Well played India 🇮🇳❤
— GORDXROHIT (@gordxrohit) September 27, 2023
Congratulations team Australia🇦🇺
Toh hum pr kya hi frk pdta? Series toh jeet rhe 😭🤣🙌🏻
— DENGUE (@Den__gue) September 27, 2023
A consolation win for Australia who also break their 5-match losing streak in ODIs. They will be happy with this - as this is the last ODI before the World Cup.
— Abhinav singh (@Abhinav_tmk) September 27, 2023
Though there Was Good Start From Rohit
— Kevin (@Kevin_05050) September 27, 2023
Good Middle order batting By Virat
But a Good Finisher Like MS Dhoni is Not there
😔💔