Cricket: Sharma-Kohli masterclass helps India salvage pride in final Test against Australia
India cruise to nine-wicket victory in Sydney
After suffering back-to-back losses in Perth and Adelaide, India managed to salvage some pride by claiming a nine-wicket victory in their third and final ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday afternoon.
Much of the headlines throughout this series have revolved around the return of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after they were dismissed cheaply in the defeat in the opening match at the Optus Stadium.
However, the pair were the stars of the show at the SCG this weekend, with Sharma scoring an exquisite 121* off 125 deliveries at the top of the order. Kohli finished on 74* from 81 balls, as India cruised to victory with 69 balls to spare and confirmed our cricket predictions.
Bowling first, India restricted the Baggy Greens to 236 all out in the 47th over, with only the Aussies' skipper Mitchell Marsh scoring over 40 runs. Harshit Rana was the standout performer with the ball for the visitors, notching up 4/39 in 8.4 overs.
Given the selection decisions for this tour and the results of the matches, it is clear that India have plenty of work to do in the lead-up to the 2027 World Cup. However, Sharma and Kohli’s contributions were major positives given the experience they bring to this now fairly youthful squad.
India and Australia will shift their focus to the shortest format now, with five T20Is on the card over the next two weeks. The first of those matches will be played on Wednesday, October 29, at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.
India suffer major blow ahead of T20I series
While the result in Sydney was a much-needed one to help India build momentum leading into the T20I leg of this series, the victory did come at a cost, with Shreyas Iyer sustaining an injury to his ribs.
The team’s vice-captain pulled off the catch of the match to dismiss Alex Carey in the 34th over, but he landed awkwardly and was in evident discomfort immediately. After a short stoppage of play, he was forced off the field to receive treatment.
Reports from the team’s dressing room revealed that Iyer was taken to the hospital for further assessment, with Yashavi Jaiswal stepping in for him. The extent of the injury is still unknown, but it is understood that Iyer will almost certainly not feature in the first T20 in midweek.
