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NEW DELHI : India captain Rohit Sharma acknowledges bowling in the death overs remains a concern for them but backed Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel to regain their mojo ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next month.
India beat Australia in the 3rd T20I on Sunday in yet another thrilling last over finish to bag the three-match series 2-1. The victory helped India extend its lead at the top of the ICC T20I rankings. There were a lot of positives for the team going into the next series against South Africa, after which the team will head to Australia for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.
Chasing a tricky 187 in the series decider, India needed 11 runs off the final 6 balls and got across the finish line with a ball to spare. As soon as Hardik Pandya got a streaky boundary off Daniel Sams to take India home, wild celebrations were sparked around the stadium in Hyderabad and in the Indian dressing room as well. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were sitting on the dressing room stairs watching the end of the match. Virat still had his pads on. With the equation boiling down to 4 needed off the last 2 balls, it became a nail-biting finish. As soon as Hardik stretched to connect his bat with a wide Sams delivery which beat the keeper and first slip on its way to the boundary, Virat and Rohit cheered and hugged each other. Harshal Patel, also with his pads on, was seen sitting behind them. Not surprisingly, videos of Virat and Rohit celebrating went viral on social media. Watch:
Batters Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav came as saviours for Team India, as their partnership of 104 runs helped their side chase down the target of 187, in the third and final T20I match against Australia on Sunday, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. Kohli smashed 63 while Suryakumar scored 69 as Team India wrapped up the match with six wickets in hand. After the win, skipper Rohit Sharma praised both the batters for their fabulous performance, which helped his side claim the three-match series 2-1.
Ravindra Jadeja's absence from the T20 series was expected to weaken India but the hosts found an able replacement in "outstanding" Axar Patel, said Australia coach Andrew McDonald. Left-arm spinner Axar, who was shoed in as a like-for-like replacement for the injured Jadeja, impressed everyone with his bowling, ending as the leading wicket-taker in the three-match series. “Axar, in particular, had an outstanding series. With Jaddu out everyone thought that it might become a bit of a weakness for India, but they've found another one again, which tends to happen,” McDonald said at the post-match press conference after India clinched the series. The Australian bowling attack, comprising the pace duo of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, was taken to the cleaners by the Indian batters.
India skipper Rohit Sharma wants to give wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik more time in the middle before the team heads Down Under for the T20 World Cup next month. India have been alternating between Karthik and Rishabh Pant in their playing XI. While the young keeper was given the nod ahead of the veteran player in the Asia Cup, Karthik was picked for all three matches against Australia. "I wanted both of these guys to have a number of games under their belt before the World Cup. When we went to the Asia Cup both of these guys were in the fray to play all games," Rohit said at the post-match press conference after India clinched the three-match series against Australia on Sunday.
India captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday admitted that death bowling remains an area of concern for the team going into next month's T20 World Cup but hoped that the bowlers will find their groove soon. India's death bowling came a cropper in the last few matches in the Asia Cup, leading to the team's early exit. In the opening game of the three-match T20 series, India couldn't defend 208 as Australia scored 53 in last three overs to register a four wicket win.
Virat Kohli struck some welcome form with a 48-ball 63 (3x4, 4x6) and though he fell with just five needed off five balls, the Delhi batter had ensured a victory. Hardik Pandya remained unbeaten on 25 as the Indians replied with 187 for four with a ball to spare. In the end, the difference between the teams was the steady show of the Indian batters in the middle overs. Scorecard | As it happenedBut the win was really set up by a Mumbaikar for whom the sky is no limit. Suryakumar Yadav stole the thunder from the Australians. Coming into bat with India, chasing a tricky 188, delicately placed at 30 for two, Suryakumar along with Virat Kohli strung a match-winning 104-run partnership off 62 balls for the third wicket. The Indians didn't get the start which they wanted as KL Rahul (1) and skipper Rohit Sharma (17) fell with just 30 on the board. But Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav took up the challenge as they slowly clawed their way back into the innings. Kohli did the bulk of the scoring initially before Suryakumar joined the party.