Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put a show with the bat in Sydney ODI.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli turned back the clock to script India’s consolation nine-wicket victory in third and final ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday (October 25).
Chasing the modest target of 237, India lost skipper Shubman Gill for 24, but the veteran duo of Rohit and Kohli forged an unbroken partnership of 168 runs to guide the visitors home with 69 deliveries to spare.
In what could be their Australian swansongs, Rohit remained unbeaten on 121 off 125 balls while Kohli finished with 74 not out off 81 balls.
Having lost the first two games in Perth and Adelaide, the Men in Blue conceded the ODI series 2-1 to Australia. However, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan was pleased with the Indian team’s flawless outing in third ODI.
“The way things unfolded today, it felt like it was meant to be,” said Pathan on Star Sports. "Nothing could be better than watching both these great players (Virat and Rohit) finish the match together. Virat needed around 70-74 runs in this game to maintain an average of 50 in Australia, and he made exactly that. If this isn’t poetic justice, then what is? Rohit worked so hard, he reduced weight, put in the effort, and his improved fitness showed when he quickly recovered from that run-out in the second match. Both have shown that ‘picture abhi baki hai mere dost’ (the best is yet to come, my friend).”
The heroics in Sydney followed two matches of rustiness and lack of rhythm for both batters. Rohit had scored 8 runs in the series opener before working hard at the Adelaide Oval, moving from a slow start of 28 balls for six runs to a solid 73 off 97 balls. On the other hand, Kohli had bagged two successive ducks for the first time in his illustrious ODI career.
With his ton at SCG, Rohit Sharma became only the 10th man in history to smash 50 international centuries. It was his 33rd ODI hundred and he also has 12 Test tons and five T20I centuries to his name.
During the Sydney innings, Virat Kohli added another feather to his cap as he became the second-highest run-scorer in ODIs. The 36-year-old went past Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara’s 14,234 runs when he reached 54* in the 32nd over of the second innings.
Kohli now has 14,255 runs in 305 ODIs, achieved in just 293 innings, with a highest score of 183. His record includes 51 centuries (most by any batsman) and 75 half-centuries at an average of 57.71. Only Sachin Tendulkar remains ahead of him with a staggering 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.