Last Updated on 1 day by Charbel Coorey
Australia have taken out the ODI series against India, winning a tight match in Adelaide by two wickets. India fought till the end, taking late wickets to cause a few nerves among the Australians, but Cooper Connolly stood firm to see his team home.
Connolly’s unbeaten 61 off 53 balls is his first half-century for Australia and comfortably his best innings in international cricket to date. Walking in at 132/4 chasing 265, Connolly was proactive from the word go, rotating strike superbly as he combined with Matt Short (74) for a 55-run stand.
“I was nervous walking out to bat,” said Connolly to Adam Gilchrist following the match. However, it didn’t show. The 22-year-old’s composure was a key feature of his innings, and the fact he led Australia to a win is a huge confidence booster.
Matt Short continued his love affair with the Adelaide Oval with a 78-ball 74 that kept Australia ticking in the middle overs. Following his dismissal, Mitch Owen then took advantage of the platform, smashing a 23-ball 36; more glimpses of what he can offer Australia in the upcoming T20 and ODI World Cups. His innings changed the momentum of the game, putting Mitch Marsh’s team within touching distance.
AUS vs IND 2nd ODI Reactions: Australia win series, India with questions to answer
Earlier, India’s lower order rallied to give them a defendable 264/9. Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer had to fight tooth and nail against quality Australian bowling on a seaming Adelaide pitch. Josh Hazlewood in particular was outstanding, finishing with one of the great wicketless spells you are bound to see in ODIs.
However, after their 118-run stand, India lost too many regular wickets, with Adam Zampa finishing with four wickets and the man of the match award.
Also read: Reactions to Virat Kohli consecutive ducks – a first in his ODI career
In the field, India missed key opportunities, namely Mohammad Siraj’s dropped catch with Matt Short in his 50s. Also, India fans lamented the makeup of the bowling attack, with a particular focus on Kuldeep Yadav.
Here are some of the reactions to the match.
The final ODI will be played in Sydney on Saturday. The five-match T20I series then kicks off on Wednesday in Canberra.
