Sydney, Oct 25 (PTI) Rohit Sharma struck his 50th international hundred and Virat Kohli played time-bending knock in possibly their last outing in Australia, propelling India to a consolation nine-wicket victory in the third ODI here on Saturday.
After Harshit Rana-led bowlers restricted Australia to a below-par 236, Rohit (121 not out) and Kohli (74 not out) stitched a 168-run alliance in just 170 balls for the second wicket to take India to 237 for one in 38.3 overs.
Australia won the three-match series 2-1 but Rohit and Kohli gave the ecstatic Sydney crowd precisely what they wanted, while unfurling archetypal innings and in the process saved the team from an embarrassing whitewash.
Rohit was all fluency and wholehearted shot-making, and Kohli resembled a mathematician solving a puzzle with meticulousness.
Once skipper Shubman Gill returned to the hut after helping his senior partner to milk 69 runs for the opening wicket, Rohit took over the chase in his inimitable manner and went on to produce his 33rd ODI century.
He has 12 Test and five T20Is hundreds to his name.
Starting with a couple of silken-smooth drives and flicks off Mitchell Starc, Rohit slipped into his punishing self once Adam Zampa was introduced.
The 38-year-old slog-swept Zampa for a six to nullify Australia’s already weakened spin department, and followed it up with a wonderful inside out six over covers off the leg-spinner.
Kohli played trademark straight drive off Starc for a four after getting off the mark with a single, which he celebrated with a smile and punch, a small atonement for the two preceding successive ducks.
But soon Kohli found his groove, galloping for those quick singles interspersed with occasional boundaries.
Nathan Ellis took the DRS after hitting Kohli’s pads, and the ‘Chase Master’ heaved a sigh of relief after the TV umpire concurred with the on-field umpire’s not out decision. Kohli was on 36 then.
Rohit brought up his fifty soon in 63 balls and the next 50 flowed in 42 balls as the Mumbai man batted with panache and aggression in equal measure.
Kohli, who made his fifty off 56 balls, soon had his old mate a tight embrace as Rohit went past his 33rd ODI hundred in 105 balls.
A few overs, later Kohli slammed Ellis for a four to take the match to its logical conclusion and the Australian players crowded around him and Rohit to congratulate them.
The Sydney crowd also had their fill while watching Rohit and Kohli, but there will be a tinge of sadness in their hearts.
They might not get another look at them on these shores. But the last sighting of RoKo was worthy to freeze forever in their memories.
Before the two old boys went about their business in their respective ways, the Indian bowlers led by Rana (4/39) limited the Aussies to a sub-par total.
Australia’s struggle was largely because Rana, who generated good pace and bounce off a fresh SCG turf, and spinners choked the home batters in the middle overs with splendid spells.
However, the Australians made a good beginning through skipper Mitchell Marsh (41) and Travis Head as they added 61 runs for the opening wicket.
But once Head departed after steering Mohammad Siraj to Prasidh Krishna at point, Australia struggled for partnerships.
Following that, a 54-run association between Renshaw (56) and Alex Carey kept the hosts afloat, but was not enough to carry them to a bigger total.
India was sharp on the field on this day, pulling off some excellent saves and catches.
The catch Kohli took at backward point to get rid of Matthew Short off Washington Sundar could be counted among the best reflex catches.
But Shreyas Iyer bettered that effort with a running catch to oust Carey. The wicketkeeper batter tried to loft Rana, but a leading edge took the ball to the opposite direction.
Shreyas hared off from point and covered a fair bit of distance to make a diving catch, though he had to leave the field for medical assessment to know the extend of a left rib cage injury after that.
But Renshaw batted with assurance at one end. His focus was on taking singles and twos to wriggle out of the squeeze that the Indian bowlers applied in the middle overs, and his first boundary came in the 35th ball.
The left-hander fetched his fifty in 48 balls despite hitting just one four, but he could not extend his stay.
Washington beat his little shimmy with a quicker one and pinged his pads to win a leg-before appeal. A couple of cameos down the order took them to 230s, but just enough for Rohit and Kohli to unleash a vintage performance. PTI UNG AT AT
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