Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Rohit Sharma hit a century and Virat Kohli A shiny 74 to run India A fitting end to what was likely his final performance, with a nine-wicket win in the third ODI Australia In the colors of your country.
Australia secure chain honor With wins in the first two matches in Perth and Adelaide, but India’s bowlers bowled out the home team for 236 runs and the two former captains stitched a 168-run partnership to guide the tourists to victory.
“I’ve always loved coming here and this was a good way to finish the innings and get a win,” Rohit said.
“I don’t know if we’ll come back to Australia or not, but it’s been fun over the years we’ve played here. Lots of good memories, bad memories. But overall, I’ll take the cricket I’ve played here for granted.”
Kohli, the second-highest run-scorer in ODIs behind Sachin Tendulkar, came out to join Sharma at the crease and received a thunderous applause from the huge crowd, making the Sydney Cricket Ground feel more like it was located in New Delhi than New South Wales.
Rohit had already reduced the target by 69 runs along with current captain Shubman Gill (24) in the chase, but it was the “Ro-Ko” partnership that a large number of fans in blue shirts waving tricolor flags had come to watch.
The two thirtysomethings, who both now only play the 50-over game for India, performed with methodical shots and mature decision-making which frustrated the Australian bowlers.
Rohit hit 13 fours and three sixes in his 33rd century in this format, and reached the milestone for the ninth time against Australia with a push drive down the ground for a run.
Kohli, who was out for a duck in the last two matches, brought up his 75th half-century with one run off one ball and Rohit took another run off the next ball to complete the 19th ODI century partnership between the pair.
“Even when we batted together, we thought, if we have a big partnership, the kind of strokes we can play, we can really take the game away from the opponent,” Kohli said.
“The opposition also knew that if these guys played 20 overs together, any target could be chased.”
Rohit should have been caught on 108 after lofting a shot into the night sky, but he got a reprieve when Josh Hazlewood failed to do so and was out on 121 not out.
Kohli scored the winning run by hitting a short ball in front of his bat towards third man for a four.
Earlier, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first at the venue, where that decision had resulted in wins for the respective team in the previous nine ODIs.
All of Australia’s top order got good starts, but only Matt Renshaw (56) managed to convert his innings into a half-century, giving another boost to his hopes of reviving his long-stalled Test career for the Ashes.
All-rounder Harshit Rana wrapped up the innings by taking the wickets of Cooper Connolly and Josh Hazlewood in a span of three balls, giving the Australian team 4 wickets for 39 runs.
Kohli took a catch at long off to send Connolly back, before whipping the crowd into another frenzy with a sharp catch at forward square to dismiss Matthew Short off the bowling of Washington Sundar for 30.
“We want to say thank you,” Kohli concluded. “We love coming to this country and playing in front of such big crowds. And we have played some of our best cricket here.”
reuters