HomeLatest ArticlesAdam Zampa, Agar lead Australia to ODI series win as India lose...

Adam Zampa, Agar lead Australia to ODI series win as India lose 3rd ODI by 21 runs

India’s batting unit again suffocated under relentless pressure from Australia’s spinners as the visitors clinched the three-match ODI series 2-1 with a comfortable 21-run victory on Wednesday. Chasing a stiff target of 270 on a tricky pitch, India were 248 in 49.1 overs as Australia clawed their way back into the series after losing the first ODI by five wickets.

The series defeat is an indicator that the Indian team is nowhere near ready for the World Cup and there are too many flaws that need to be addressed. The match turned out to be an anti-climax in the final 15 overs as Australian spinners Adam Zampa (4/45) and Ashton Agar (2/41 in 10 overs) took as many as six Indian wickets, conceding just 86 runs. 20 overs between them.

Chepauk’s track was getting slower and it was 35th in the Indian innings and it was very difficult to hit big shots. Once Zampa bowled a couple of googlies to force Hardik Pandya (40 off 40 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (1 off 33 balls) to strike against the pull, the writing was on the wall.

These were Zampa’s best figures against India and he was definitely the hero for the Aussies.Incidentally, Australia was the last international team to beat India in a bilateral ODI series in 2019. That time the scoreline was 3-2. Since that series defeat four years ago, India have won seven bilateral ODI rubbers at home.

It was three matches in a row that India’s top order was flattered to deceive, that too in home conditions. They could have been eliminated 3–0 in the series had Australia scored at least 235 in the opening ODI.

The highest scorer for India in the series was KL Rahul with 116 runs and that tells the story. Between overs 35 to 43, India managed only 31 runs and that’s where the game turned on its head.

Captain Rohit Sharma (30 off 17 balls) started well but played one strike too many to be drilled into the deep square fence, while Alex Carey’s decision to convince Steve Smith to take DRS saw the back of Shubman Gill (37 off 49 balls).

Rahul (32 off 50 balls) joined Virat Kohli (54 off 72 balls) and the duo added 69 runs in 15.3 overs but were never able to dominate as such on a track that slowed down as time went on.

Kohli’s first landmark came on his 21st delivery, off Agar and two balls later Tamil Nadu hit a king six off Agar over extra cover. Rahul’s first landmark came on his 45th ball when he hit Zampa over his head for a four. Next, Starc bowled from a wide crease but the long ball was hit for a straight six.

However, the ball Zampa fired into the block hole was dug out by Rahul but Abbot timed his dive well to keep it to the boundary. Then it was Agar’s turn to quickly send back Kohli and the out-of-form Suryakumar Yadav (0) for his third first-ball duck in as many games.

From 146 for 2, India slumped to 185 for 6 as Pandya and Jadeja joined forces with Australia’s close fielders to make things endlessly difficult. But Pandya maintained a strike rate of 100-plus despite the opposition’s tight bowling control.

Earlier, a fine opening spell from Pandya and a tentative effort from Kuldeep Yadav had the Australian batsmen firmly pegged before his tail wagged considerably to guide the visitors to a fighting 269 all out in 49 overs after electing to bat first.

These five wickets added 131 and kept Australia in the game. While Pandya (3/44 in 8 overs) shaved off the top half, Kuldeep’s (3/56 in 10 overs) pace and guile on a useful Chennai track was the biggest attraction as the last one to remove Carey was the ball of the series. .

It was a classic left arm break that hit the southpaw and Kuldeep’s ecstasy was visible. India were in control after Australia returned to 138 for 5, but a 58-run stand between Carey and Marcus Stoinis for the sixth wicket and 42 for the eighth wicket between Sean Abbott (26) and Ashton Agar (17) saw them close to 250. while Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa added 22 valuable runs for the last wicket.

What looked like a good draw for a win for Australia after Mitchell Marsh (47 off 47 balls) and Travis Head (33 off 31 balls) put on 68 for the opening stand did not look to be as Pandya bowled three different deliveries in his first three . overs to fully seize the momentum in favor of the hosts.

David Warner (23 off 31 balls) and Marnus Labuschagne (28 off 45 balls) paid dearly for their indiscreet choice of shots off Kuldeep’s bowling before Carey (38 off 46 balls) played his maiden innings on the final day of the nearly two-month long tour .

Read Now :<strong>Cricketer Rohit wants Indian IPL players to handle workload ahead of World Cup</strong>

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