Virat Kohli played a very balanced innings for hundred © Getty Images (File Photo)
India has reached a big total of 295 for 6 in their first innings against Australia in the third One-Day International (ODI) of the five-match series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It is a very stiff score at this ground. India’s innings was headlined by a belligerent hundred from Virat Kohli. There were other smaller contributions but Kohli’s knock was the defining one. Australia’s bowlers lacked the venom to make frequent breakthroughs in the middle overs. Kohli was involved in significant partnerships with Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and MS Dhoni through course of his knock. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at MCG
India’s innings did not have the ideal start with Rohit Sharma — the man in form — getting dismissed for just six runs off Kane Richardson’s bowling. Dhawan who has been out of form started off very badly consuming too many balls dot balls and was struggling for rhythm. Kohli’s arrival started brightening things for India. UPDATES: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at MCG
Dhawan scored runs at sluggish pace initially but started finding his groove as the innings progressed and Kohli’s confidence rubbed on to him. The scoring rate started increasing at an appreciable pace. Dhawan finally found his groove and got past his fifty. He looked good for a bigger score but was dismissed playing a poor shot of Hastings.
Kohli was then accompanied by Rahane at the crease. Rahane took some time to get his eye in but was his usual sublime self thereafter. Rahane played some fantastic strokes that were pleasing to watch. Kohli continued in usually brash fashion at the other end. Kohli then reached his ton of 104 balls.
Rahane reached his fifty and was dismissed the very next ball in attempt to throttle. Dhoni came in next and he gave indications of his return to his best by smashing the very second ball he faced for an emphatic six. Kohli was looking to up the scoring but got out for a run-a-ball 117 failing to capitalise on the death overs the manner he would have liked to. But, it was a fine knock nonetheless.
There was a good contest between the Indian batsmen and the Aussie bowlers in the latter overs of the innings. There was some characteristically smart mixed up bowling by James Faulkner which saw him get the better of debutant Gurkeerat Singh. He kept the other batsmen relatively quiet too. John Hastings bowled really well throughout and was rewarded with four scalps of Kohli, Rahane, Dhoni and Dhawan. However, he took bit of a pasting in his final over.
With two overs to go India had 277 runs on the board with Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. Dhoni exploded then and unleashed himself on Hastings who had bowled well. He smashed a four, followed it up with a six and going for the next shot was caught at midwicket to give Hastings his fourth. That over yielded 12 runs for India. The next over was delivered by death specialist Faulkner. He made a great job of it conceding just six runs including dots of the last couple of balls.
India will be quite content with the total even though they had totals of over 300 chased down in the first two ODIs at Perth and Brisbane respectively. One reason for that is that the MCG provided greater support for the bowlers and India have strengthened their pace bowling stocks by calling Rishi Dhawan to displace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The wicket has been kinder to fast bowlers and India will be fancy their chances.
Brief scores:
India 295 for 6 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 68, Virat Kohli 117; John Hastings 4 for 58) vs Australia.
(Rishad D’Souza, a reporter with CricketCountry, gave up hopes of playing Test cricket after a poor gully-cricket career. He now reports on the sport. You can follow @RDcric on Twitter)