Sydney ODI: Rohit, Kohli help India avoid clean sweep
What's the story
Riding on stunning knocks from talismans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India thrashed Australia in the third and final ODI in Sydney. With this, they have successfully avoided a series sweep. A four-fer from Harshit Rana helped India restrict the hosts to 236/10. Rohit then led the run chase with a record-breaking hundred as Kohli also scored a fifty. Here are the key stats.
1st innings
Australia collapsed after fine start
Batting first in the game, Australian openers Mitchell Marsh (41) and Travis Head (29) gave a solid start, adding 61 runs. Fine contributions from Matthew Short (30), Matt Renshaw (56), and Alex Carey (24) further placed the hosts at 183/3. However, Carey's dismissal off Rana's delivery ignited a massive collapse as the team got all out for 236 runs in 46.4 overs.
Chase
Rohit, Kohli led the run chase
In response, Indian openers Rohit (121*) and Shubman Gill (24) added 69 runs before the Indian skipper departed. The former then joined forces with Kohli (74*), and it was one-way traffic thereafter. They added over 130 runs and shattered a ton of records during the process. Their brilliance meant the Men in Blue crossed the line in just 38.3 overs, winning by nine wickets.
Rana
Rana scripts these records
Rana claimed four wickets while giving away just 39 runs in 8.4 overs. This spell has taken his ODI tally to 16 wickets from eight games at a stunning average of 20.75 (ER: 5.82). As per Cricbuzz, only Ajit Agarkar (19), Prasidh Krishna (19), and Jasprit Bumrah (17) clocked more wickets for India in their respective first eight ODIs.
Information
Sundar and Siraj among other wicket-takers for India
Along with Rana, Washington Sundar also impressed with his bowling, taking 2/44 runs in 10 overs. Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel chipped in with one wicket each. Axar Patel was economical in his six-over wicket-less spell, conceding only 18 runs.
Head
Head becomes fastest Australian to 3,000 ODI runs
The game saw Head become the fastest Australian batter to complete 3,000 ODI runs. The southpaw accomplished this feat in a mere 76 innings, surpassing Steve Smith (79 innings). He was dismissed for 29 off 25 balls (6 fours). As per Cricbuzz, Head also became fourth fastest batter in the world to reach 3,000 ODI runs in terms of balls faced (2,839).
Stats
Here are Head's overall stats
The 29 against India has taken Head's tally to 3,007 runs from 79 ODIs at an average of 43.57. Head's overall strike rate of 105.73 is the fourth-best among batters with at least 3,000 runs. In addition to seven tons, he has slammed 17 fifties. 2,107 of his runs have come as an opener at a fine average of 50.16.
Renshaw
Brilliant start to Renshaw's ODI career
Renshaw's 56 off 58 balls was laced with a couple of fours. He has made a bright start to his ODI career, having made 30 and 21* in his first two games. The southpaw has now raced to 107 runs at 53.5. Overall in List A cricket, Renshaw now has 2,901 runs at an average of 41-plus (100s: 7, 50s: 18).
Fielding feat
Rohit Sharma completes his 100th catch in ODIs
Along with his batting record, Rohit also achieved another milestone by completing his 100th catch in ODIs. He now joins an elite group of Indian fielders such as Kohli (164), Mohammad Azharuddin (156), Sachin Tendulkar (140), Rahul Dravid (124), and Suresh Raina (102). This achievement further highlights Rohit's all-round contribution to the game.
Feat
2,500 runs against the Aussies for Rohit Kohli
The game saw both Rohit and Kohli complete 2,500 ODI runs against the Aussies. Tendulkar (3,077) is the only other batter with this landmark. In 49 ODIs versus Australia, Rohit now owns 2,609 runs at 59.29. He has nine tons and 10 fifties. On the other hand, Kohli's 74* took him to 2,525 runs against the team at 53.72 (100s: 8, 50s: 16).
DYK
50th international ton for Rohit
Rohit returned unbeaten on 121 off 125 balls with the help of 13 fours and three sixes. He now has 33 centuries in ODI cricket, the third-most in ODIs after Tendulkar (49) and Kohli (51). The former Indian skipper overall smacked his 50th international ton. Only two other Indians have more than 50 centuries across formats - Tendulkar (100) and Kohli (82).
DYK
Sixth ODI ton in Australia
As per ESPNcricinfo, Rohit became the first visiting batter to complete six ODI tons in Australia. He broke the tie with Kohli and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (5 each). Rohit also became the first Indian to complete 1,500 ODI runs Down Under. The dashing opener now has 1,530 runs across 33 games in this regard at a fine average of 56.66 (50s: 5).
Career
Here are his overall numbers
With his 33rd hundred, Rohit has raced to 11,370 runs from 276 ODIs at an average of 49.22. He also owns 59 fifties as his tally of 349 sixes in the format is only second to that of Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (351). It must be noted that Rohit is only behind Tendulkar (18,426) and Kohli in terms of ODI runs among Indians.
Kohli
Kohli becomes second-highest run-scorer in ODIs
Kohli returned unbeaten on 74 off 81 balls as he smoked seven boundaries. During his stay, the 36-year-old became the second-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket. He overtook Sri Lankan legend Sangakkara in terms of ODI runs. The latter hammered 14,234 runs in 404 ODIs at a remarkable average of 41.98. Meanwhile, Tendulkar leads the list with 18,426 runs from 463 ODIs at 44.83.
Information
12th 150-plus stand between Rohit and Kohli
As per Cricbuzz, the Sydney affair saw Rohit and Kohli register their 12th stand of 150 or more runs in ODIs. They have gone level with Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly in terms of pair with most such partnerships in the format.
Kohli
75th fifty in ODIs
Here are his overall ODI stats Kohli, who has retired from Test and ODI cricket, averages a magnificent 57.71 in ODI cricket. In 305 matches, the Indian batter owns 14,255 runs. His tally includes 51 tons, the most in the format. The one in Sydney was his 75th fifty. Notably, he was dismissed for ducks in the first two games of the series.
Record holder
Most 50+ scores in 2nd innings of ODIs
Kohli now has 70 scores of 50-plus in ODIs while batting second in ODIs - the most for any batter. As per ESPNcricinfo, he broke the tie with Tendulkar, who has 69 such scores. Overall, 8,138 of Kohli's runs have come while batting second at 64.58. While Kohli owns 28 tons in run chases, no other batter has even 20 centuries in this regard.