India Square Series In Thrilling Run Chase

Hero: Virat Kohli was India’s hero again in Nagpur

Another day, another thriller in India as one of the most dramatic ODI series in history faces it’s conclusion on Saturday with Australia and India all square at two apiece.

Following the historic Jaipur thriller exactly a week ago, India again produced another outstanding example of chasing a big target and yet again their charge was led by Virat Kohli, who has proved beyond doubt now that his career is destined for greatness.

Kohli, adding to another solid opening platform from Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, finished unbeaten on 115 from 66 deliveries as the home side chased down Australia’s 350 with three balls to spare. In this series Kohli has now made two of the three fastest centuries by an Indian batsman in ODI history, his 61-ball effort here providing the impetus and controlled aggression required after Dhawan and Sharma had added 178 for the first wicket.

Both openers were controlled in their push towards the target, scoring at six an over at the point that Sharma was dismissed. It was another staunch innings in what has been a breakthrough series for Sharma, but it was an all-too-frequent example of him wasting a good opportunity for a big score as he holed out off part-time spinner Aaron Finch. Despite this, his 79 provided solid support to the more aggressive Dhawan, who scored his 100 at a run-a-ball throughout before walking across too far to James Faulkner and losing his leg stump.

Australia would have been confident but wary of defending their target, which was set up largely by Shane Watson and George Bailey, who both made centuries in sharing 168 for the third wicket. For captain Bailey, this series has been huge in propelling him into contention for an Ashes place this winter and his classy 156 was the foundation of the innings, aiding Australia’s recovery from 45 for 2.

It was a necessary recovery enforced by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin, who accounted for openers Phil Hughes and Finch respectively. Kumar, who bowled with excellent control and discipline for his one for 42 and it was a surprise that he was left two overs short of his quota at the end of the innings. Once Kumar had accounted for Hughes, caught by that man Kohli, Finch was bowled by Ashwin, the off-spinner finding the gap in Finch’s defence and leaving Australia in struggling in the twelfth over.

Ashwin and fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja bowled tidily and exerted a measure of control not afforded to Australia until Mitchell Johnson’s second spell. The two spinners shared four wickets between them and kept the visitors in check once Mohammad Shami had broken the Watson-Bailey partnership. Watson, who has endured a quiet series thus far, was good value for his century, the second fifty of which came in just 30 deliveries as Australia looked to push on. The innings tailed away after his dismissal, despite resistance from Adam Voges’ unbeaten 44.

Bailey was the star of the innings, striking his second ODI century and producing his fourth 50+ score in five innings in this series. As well as his calm leadership Bailey has produced the best form of his career with the bat and is now firmly in the running to make his Test debut in the opening Ashes contest in Brisbane despite a lack of recent first-class runs. His is a good story of fighting and fighting to reach the top, and few who have watched him in this series would deny that he deserves the chance.

There was not alot Bailey could have done when it came to captaining the defence, however. He began with Johnson and Clint McKay, but there was no early reward as Johnson produced his most wayward spell of the series, his opening five overs going for 44. Neither McKay nor Faulkner were any better, and Xavier Doherty was steady at best until Kohli arrived at the crease and added an extra dimension to India’s innings with his wristiness and quick footwork. The pick of the bunch in the first 35 overs was Watson, who kept things reasonably tight but rarely threatened, if at all.

Johnson at least returned during the powerplay to produce another excellent spell and further evidence that he is by far the best bowler used by Australia in this series. With his aggressive pace and hostility form both over and round the wicket, the left-armer has been the bowler afforded the most respect by the Indian batsmen and public alike, and despite a wide first ball, the first over of his second spell went for just three as Kohli and Suresh Raina understood not to take too many liberties against Australia’s only potent threat. As it was Johnson’s final five overs went for just 28, and claimed the wickets of what are fast becoming his ‘bunnies’, Raina and Yuvraj Singh. Between them, both have now been dismissed five times out of six innings by Johnson in this series and both have serious work to do on the short ball before they can be trusted in international cricket again.

Despite the quick double salvo, India’s run-chase always seemed to be a matter of time with Kohli at the crease and once he was joined by the assured head of MS Dhoni Australian fans would have been fearing the worst. As it was, it took until the middle of the final over for the pair to haul their side over the line, as Dhoni smashed a four and a two to secure victory and send the series into its final collision in Bangalore all square.

It was another thriller in what has been a fascinating series, but as in Jaipur, the hero of the hour was the man who now seems destined to be the hero of a nation for years to come. It was another day for Kohli.

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