Kohli blasts 117 as India reach 295

Virat Kohli today became the fastest to reach 7000 one-day global runs in the course of India’s third match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Kohli worked hard during his 119-run partnership with Shikhar Dhawan and his 109-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane, both of whom made half-centuries.

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

Australia’s hundred came up in just the 16th over as Smith (41) and Shaun went on to put a 64-run stand for the second wicket.

The win at Melbourne also helped the Aussies seal the five-match series 3-0.

The swashbuckling batsman has been in prime form against Australia and scored 91 and 59 in the first two ODIs. In these 58 matches, the Indian bowlers have struggled to defend the target on as many as 11 occasions; the team lost outright on 10 occasions (the latest being Friday), and on one other occasion the team chasing – which was England in the 2011 World Cup – levelled the score to ensure a tie.

Steven Smith won the toss and chose not to change a winning formula, sending India in to bat in the third ODI at the MCG. But the overall standard of the visitors’ bowling was not enough to pose a serious challenge to the Australian batsmen.

In his 161st ODI innings (169th match), Kohli brought up his 24th three-figure mark.

Given India only conceded two wickets in the first 44 overs they should have exceeded 300.

Against the run of play then, in the 19th over, Ravindra Jadeja (2-49) got one to spin away from him, and he edged it to slip with Ajinkya Rahane happily accepting the catch.

Maxwell, who was unlucky to miss out on his hundred, smashed a blistering 83-ball 96 with eight fours and three massive sixes to lead Australia’s run-chase.

Maxwell used all his shots to keep Australia in the hunt – alongside James Faulkner’s helping of 21 off 25 – and eventually led the way to victory, though the all-rounder was caught off Yadav trying to secure the final team run and his personal landmark. Having slapped Hastings to wide long-on, the batsman saw Smith run around, hold the ball and flick-throw it to Maxwell before momentum carried him over the rope. Dhoni slapped a quick 23 from nine balls in the dying stages but also fell to Hastings, pulling a 140kph bouncer to deep midwicket.

After Kohli had hit a slower delivery from Hastings into the hands of George Bailey at extra cover, Dhoni tried to accelerate the run rate.