Australia win toss, decide to field in 3rd ODI

Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first.

India made two changes for this must-win game, with Gurkeerat Mann and Rishi Dhawan handed debuts on account of their all-round capabilities.

Kohli passed 7,000 runs in his 161st ODI innings, four fewer than the 165 that South African AB de Villiers took to reach the same milestone.

Kohli, who not only got past 7000 runs in ODIs during his run-a-ball knock also became the fastest to register 24 tons in the 50-over format, got adequate support from Shikhar Dhawan (68) and then Ajinkya Rahane (50).

After Rohit Sharma’s two hundreds in the first two games, it was Kohli’s turn this time as his 24th ODI century came in a losing cause. Shikhar was not far behind, bringing up a 76-ball half-century in the next delivery.

Kohli fell in the 47th over when he drove a John Hastings slower ball straight to cover; Hastings’ variations again proved useful for Australia and he finished with a career-best 4 for 58. Following Kohli and Ganguly on the list are Brian Lara (183 innings), Desmond Haynes (183), Jacques Kallis (188) and Sachin Tendulkar (189). They unleashed a flurry of boundaries as the run-rate moved to five an over, and the two batsmen celebrated their fifties in the 23rd over.

For Australia, Hastings bagged four wickets while Kane Richardson and James Faulkner also chipped in with a wicket each.

Australian openers Shaun Marsh and Aaron Finch attacked from the outset and cruised in the first few overs, punishing some wayward Indian bowling.

He holed out looking for a boundary to reach 100 with just one run left in the chase, but you could forgive wasteful, showy Glenn Maxwell a brief cameo on a night when his better nature dominated. With a 3-0 lead, the hosts clinched the ODI series with two games to spare.

George Bailey strikes the ball cleanly during Australia’s win over India on Sunday.

MS Dhoni light-heartedly dismissed questions over his leadership after India were consigned to defeat in their one-day worldwide series against Australia on Sunday.

138- Stumping Dismissals Mahendra Singh Dhoni has effected in worldwide Cricket- which is only 1 short of equalling the world record held by Kumar Sangakkara. When Matthew Wade followed soon after, Australia was 215 for 6, but Maxwell’s stand with James Faulkner brought 80 runs in just 63 balls as fluttering hearts were becalmed.

Faulkner struck the winning runs to give Australia a three-wicket victory which gave them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. But it had yielded a wicket, with Finch caught behind in the 8th over off Ishant. Maxwell was picked as the man of the match for his responsible knock.