India vs Australia: R Ashwin stars with ball after Gill, Shreyas hundreds as India clinch ODI series

India, on Sunday, September 24, beat Australia by 99 runs (DLS Method) in the second ODI at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

With the win, the Men in Blue claimed the series 2-0 with one match remaining. Most importantly, India will now go into the World Cup 2023 as the No.1 ranked team in ODIs.

Apart from winning the toss, nothing went against the Australian team. After being put in to bat first, India racked up a huge score of 399 for the loss of five wickets. Ruturaj Gaikwad perished early, but Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer put on 200 runs for the second wicket to put India in a position of command.

Both Gill and Shreyas went on to rack up centuries as the Australian bowlers kept looking for breathing space. After the duo got out, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan took charge. Rahul carried on from where he left in Mohali and racked up 52 runs off 38 balls. The left-handed Kishan also scored 31 runs off 18 balls.

Suryakumar Yadav injected momentum into the Indian innings. He stayed not out on 72 runs off 37 balls with six fours and as many sixes. Cameron Green picked up two wickets, but ended up leaking 103 runs. He was also hit for four sixes in a row by Suryakumar.

ABBBOT’S KNOCK IN VAIN

Australia looked hapless in their run-chase right from the word go. Matthew Short and Steve Smith bit the dust early as Prasidh Krishna gave India the early breakthroughs.

In the 10th over, rain stopped play as the Aussies were set a revised target of 317 in 33 overs. The rain delay meant that the required run rate climbed above 11 when play resumed.

Warner scored 53 runs off 39 balls before R Ashwin dismissed him LBW. Ashwin was impressive as he also got the wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Josh Inglis.

Green smashed a four and a six before getting run out at the striker’s end. Sean Abbott and Josh Hazlewood put on 77 runs for the ninth to give the Aussies something to cheer for.

Abbott, who recently equalled the record of the fastest century in the history of the T20 Blast in England, scored 54 runs off 36 balls with four fours and five sixes.