Marsh, Maxwell Disrupt Kohli, Rohit’s Return Party As AUS Claim 3rd ODI At Rajkot

Glenn Maxwell celebrates a wicket against India in Rajkot (BCCI)

Australia broke their winless streak with a consolation victory over Team India in a high-scoring third ODI at Rajkot. The win granted them some momentum on their rough path towards 2023 World Cup, considering their recent run has been plagued with injuries and series defeats across South Africa and India.

Top-order unites as Warner, Marsh, Smith click together

Pat Cummins’ decision of batting first was ably backed by his entire top-order, with each of his top four listing out sparkling half-centuries from their ends. Opener David Warner scored 56 to notch up his third successive 50-plus score of the series, while his temporary partner Mitchell Marsh blasted 96 from just 84 balls.

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne both slapped identical 70s as the four batters successfully laid out a platform for a colossal score upfront. Captain Cummins himself clubbed a few at the death as his side finished their 50 overs at 352-7.

Each Indian bowler, sans a wicketless Washington Sundar, leaked runs at more than six-an-over. Jasprit Bumrah claimed three wickets during the backend of the innings but ended up conceding 81 runs, while spin ace Kuldeep Yadav snared two at the expense of 48 from his six overs.

Sharma, Kohli not enough as Maxwell emerges as surprise thorn

Returning captain and opening batsman Rohit Sharma lofted six huge maximums in his entertaining run-chase knock, all while testing himself with experimental opener Washington Sundar at the other end. Sharma, after sharing 74 runs with Sundar, added another 70 with fellow comeback man and team veteran Virat Kohli.

Much like the skipper, Kohli also stacked up an imperial half-century, only to be done in by Glenn Maxwell, who accounted for each of the top four Indian batters in the innings.

Maxwell’s 4-40 proved too much for India’s middle-order to recover, as they ended up falling 66 runs short in their dead-rubber. Apart from the part-time spinner, pacers Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green and young spinner Tanveer Sangha all claimed wickets at critical junctures to conclude Australia’s winless drought.

Having lost the series 1-2 to the hosts, both Australia and India will now face-off in their respective World Cup 2023 openers on October 8 in Chennai.

Brief Scores:

Australia: 352-7 (50)
Mitchell Marsh 96 (84), Steve Smith 74 (61)
Jasprit Bumrah 3-81 (10), Kuldeep Yadav 2-48 (6)

India: 286 (49.4)
Rohit Sharma 81 (57), Virat Kohli 56 (61)
Glenn Maxwell 4-40 (10), Josh Hazlewood 2-42 (8)

Australia won by 66 runs, India win the series by 2-1 margin

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