IND vs AUS, 2nd ODI: Aussie Openers Run-Riot After Mitchell Starc's Fiery Spell
Marsh remained unbeaten on 66 {AP Photos]
This was one of the most dominant performance ever seen on the Indian shores. After losing the opening ODI by 5-wickets, Australia bounced back in style with a clinical drubbing of the Rohit Sharma led side on Sunday.
The series is levelled at 1-1 and things have gotten spicier with each pasing game.
Starc tears through Indian batters
Mitchell Starc continued his love-affair with the Indian batters in the second game of the series. After an impressive performance in the first ODI, where he troubled the best in the business, Starc wreaked havoc once again and produced an inspring spell to dismantle the Indian batters.
On the very second ball of his spell, he got rid off the dangerous Shubman Gill. In walked Virat Kohli and he started the repair work alongside the returning Rohit Sharma. Just when a partnership was brewing up, Starc came back to haunt the Indian side with the big wicket of Rohit Sharma.
Things turned from bad to worse when the tearaway pacer trapped Surya Kumar Yadav lbw for a duck in his second game running. There was no respite for the Indian side, as wickets continued to tumble and Starc sent back the hero of the last game - KL Rahul.
Virat Kohli looked assured in this innings and was playing everything on its merit. He played some delightful strokes, but was running out of partners at the other end. Hardik Pandya didn't last long as Steve Smith took a flying catch to dismiss him for just 1.
All rested on the shoulders of Kohli, but Nathan Ellis troubled him with an in-swinger and trapped him lbw for 31.
Once Kohli departed, wicket floodgates opened and there was no resistance from middle and lower order as India were knocked over for 117.
Openers run-riot
This was a cakewalk for Australia. They made a mockery of a light total and chased down the target inside 11 overs. It looked as if Mitch Marsh and Travis Head were batting on a different surface altogether as the Indian bowlers looked toothless and the duo took full advantage of it.
Rohit tried all the permutations and combinations, but nothing worked for him as Mitch Marsh continued from where he left in the first ODI and brought up his second fifty of the series (66*)
Travis Head, who failed in the previous match, joined the party and he too, notched up a fifty to remain unbeaten on 51.
Brief Score
India: 117 (26)
Virat Kohli 31 (35), Axar Patel 29* (29);
Mitchell Starc 5/53 (8), Sean Abbott 3/23 (6)
Australia: 121-0 (11)
Mitch Marsh 66*(36), Travis Head 51* (30)
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 "Anurag Dasgupta")
