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IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli star as India wins the 3rd ODI

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
Rohit and Kohli remained unbeaten as India won the match by 9 wickets (Photo - BCCI/X)

The final ODI saw Harshit Rana justify his selection with a four-wicket haul in Sydney. The IND vs AUS 3rd ODI also featured brilliant fielding efforts from the Men in Blue, as the Kangaroos were restricted to a 236-run total. However, what the last India vs Australia contest ultimately turned into was a Ro-Ko special. The Indian veterans, who arrived Down Under with doubts hovering over their futures, forged a 168-run partnership to steer the team to a nine-wicket win at the SCG. Rohit Sharma smashed a century as India averted a series whitewash with the victory in the 3rd ODI against the hosts.

Ro-Ko rule the IND vs AUS 3rd ODI as Men in Blue beat the hosts by 9 wickets in Sydney

The IND vs AUS 3rd ODI showed that greatness is not a switch that flips once the fraternity calls. If you got it, you got it. Despite their legacy spanning over a decade, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli arrived Down Under with questions over their future in the format. The doubt only intensified when their return to international action, after over six months, was spoiled by cheap dismissals in the India vs Australia opener at Perth.

However, the tides changed early for Ro, a bit late but finally for Ko as well. Rohit Sharma came through with a gritty half-century in the 2nd ODI at the Adelaide Oval, which proved elementary despite the match ending in Indiaā€™s defeat. The final ODI in Sydney, meanwhile, presented all that the Indian fans had expected to watch in the series, a nostalgic Ro-Ko partnership, the seniors announcing that they still belong, and a glorious parting Down Under.

The terms of probability took a serious blow with India losing its 18th consecutive toss in the format. Shubman Gill is yet to win a toss as the full-time captain of India in two formats. However, despite the coin flipping out of Gillā€™s favor, the Men in Blue were called to bowl first for the first time in the India vs Australia series. Marshā€™s decision played in the visitorsā€™ favor, who changed the India Playing XI by finally calling Kuldeep Yadav into the combination.

The opening innings saw Harshit Rana headlining the proceedings for the team. Rana concluded the ODI series with a four-wicket haul in Sydney. Matt Renshaw put up a fight for the Kangaroos with a half-century. However, with the Men in Blue denying any impactful partnership to foster, the hosts bundled out for 236 in the IND vs AUS 3rd ODI. The on-field efforts also saw Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer taking screamers to send Matt Short and Alex Carey back, respectively.

Rohit Sharma, though he scored a fifty in the 2nd ODI at the Adelaide Oval, had appeared rusty in that game. That was not the case in the 3rd ODI, as the former skipper showcased fluency right from the get-go. With the pitch clearly better than in the previous fixtures, Shubman Gill also looked to break his shackles. However, the Indian captain once again departed early, going back for 24, his highest score in the series that marked his ODI captaincy debut.

Gillā€™s fall, however, paved the way for the fans to finally witness the Ro-Ko partnership. Virat Kohli, welcomed to the crease with thunderous applause by the SCG crowd, stole a single to finally get off the mark. The veteran celebrated the run, his first in the India vs Australia series, dramatically, as the audience cheered on. While the start proved difficult, runs flowed after Kohli managed to get that first one in Sydney.

While Josh Hazlewood seemed to trouble Kohli initially, the senior waded through the early pressure seamlessly. Australiaā€™s attack was rendered toothless as first Rohit, then Kohli, charged to their respective fifties. The moments that followed featured the opener scoring his 50th international century. Meanwhile, Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 74, eclipsed Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODIs. An LBW appeal against Kohli by Nathan Ellis seemed like the only hindrance, but he was saved by an umpireā€™s call. Kohli closed the chase off with a ramp shot against Ellis that went for a boundary.

Rohit Sharma, with a half-century in Adelaide and an unbeaten 121 in the IND vs AUS 3rd ODI, was adjudged the Player of the Series. While the India vs Australia series ended in the visitorsā€™ defeat, Rohit and Kohli emerged as the reason why the Men in Blue averted a sore 3-0 fate with their win in Sydney. What happens next is not known to anyone yet, but Ro-Ko ensured that if this happens to be their last tour Down Under, it ended ideally.

Author Ayushi Singh
Ayushi Singh

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