India vs Australia 3rd ODI at Indore

As a result, India sealed the five-match series 3-0, with two matches to go. Hardik Pandya showed his consistency with the bat yet again and took his side to the finish line.

Aaron Finch returned from a calf injury to become the first Australian opener since Shaun Marsh in 2009 to score an ODI century in India. With the constant wins of the Men in Blue, along with the Pujo and Navratri fever the cricket fever is also sky High.

They put on 139 runs for the first wicket, dispatching the Australian bowlers to all parts. The target was 177 runs away, and Travis Head and Smith looked settled, having scored more than 30 runs each. A 350-plus score seemed to be on the cards. The three back-to-back victories in the ongoing series against Australia takes the tally to 9-0.

That’s despite Kuldeep Yadav taking a hat-trick in what turned out to be a convincing win for the hosts.

To Australia’s relief, Finch hit the nets on Saturday and also looked smooth while running during the morning practice session. Australia’s momentum was broken with these two blows and their lower middle order was exposed to the Indian bowling attack.

While the spin duo of Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal frustrated Glenn Maxwell by not pitching a single delivery in the batsman’s arc, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bumrah finished on a strong note to ensure the batsmen didn’t have a gargantuan task. After that, India’s home grounds will get a series record against Australia.

Virat Kohli was all praise for Hardik Pandya after the match, “He’s (Pandya) a star, has the ability with the ball, bat and the field”, said Kohli in the post-match presentation.

Ajinkya Rahane held the innings and scored 70 runs for himself.

Smith (63 off 71) happily played second-fiddle during his partnership with Finch, whose footwork was impeccable. But Kohli’s innings was cut short by Ashton Agar, who tossed the ball up and the Indian skipper hit the ball straight into the hands of Finch at long off.

If Finch, who smacked five sixes and 12 boundaries in his almost run-a-ball knock, plundered his runs, Smith accumulated them quietly, hitting five boundaries in his 63.

The only bright spot for Australia in the match was Finch. Manish Pandey has had two unconvincing games in the series at a time when he could have put the hammer down and sealed his spot for good.