India take first win of series after thrilling chase

Manish Pandey, the middle-order batsman, has batted responsibly to help India clinch the 331-run target set by Australia in the fifth and final One-Day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Alongside M. S. Dhoni, he led India’s chase after the fall of Rohit Sharma, who scored 99.

Needing 13 off the last over, India were helped by a wide off the first ball by Mitchell Marsh. Dhoni, on strike, hit a six over long-off off the first legitimate delivery, following which he was caught in the deep on the off side when he attemted another big hit. The batsmen crossed over, and Pandey, off the third ball, steered Marsh to the third-man boundary for a four. It also brought up his century. He finished the contest with a couple through the off side off the fourth ball of the over.

Pandey’s partnership of 97 with Rohit Sharma had kept India in the hunt in the middle overs. Rohit fell one short of scoring his 11th Test century, edging paceman John Hastings behind in the 35th over. But by then, the partnership had given India a sniff of clinching the daunting chase.

Before his stand with Rohit, India were led to a confident start to the chase by their openers. Rohit was more subdued than Shikhar Dhawan, who seven fours and three sixes in his quickfire 78. His wicket, against the run of play, in the 19th over, brought Virat Kohli to the crease. Kohli lasted only 11 balls, nicking through to the wicketkeeper Matthew Wade.

Earlier, David Warner and middle-order batsman Mitchell Marsh scored centuries to lead Australia to another commanding total, of 330 for 7, in the fifth One-Day International (ODI) at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Marsh featured in a useful partnership of 118 runs with Warner for the fifth wicket to establish a base, and after Warner got out for 122 in the 39th over, led the late acceleration alongside Matthew Wade, to get his team past 300. Marsh struck nine fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 102 off 84 balls. Warner’s ton, though, was more a recovery effort, after India got early wickets.

Sharma removed Aaron Finch off the first over of the day, adjudged lbw after having offered no stroke to an incoming delivery. Steven Smith and Warner plundered 58 runs in 10.5 overs before Smith was caught at short midwicket for 28 off 37 balls. In the 15th over, George Bailey was fooled by a slower ball from Rishi Dhawan, and was snaffled at mid-on by Ishant Sharma. In the 22nd over, Shaun Marsh was run out despite Gurkeerat Mann not collecting the ball cleanly to dislodge the bails; the ball recocheted off his legs on to the stumps.

Warner, however, raced to a run-a-ball half-century despite not being as fluent as he is renowned to be. He improved his strike-rate thereafter, and plundered runs with frequent boundaries alongside Mitchell Marsh. He reached his century also at a run a ball. He couldn’t get adequately well under a slower ball by Ishant, and sliced him to backward point.

India have made a couple of changes to their side. Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been replaced by Manish Pandey and Jasprit Bumrah, the latter making his debut.

Rahane and Bhuvneshwar were ruled out of the rest of the tour of Australia owing to their respective injuries. Rahane has split his webbing in the right hand, and Bhuvneshwar has fractured his left-hand thumb. They are replaced by Gurkeerat and Dhawan for the upcoming T20s.