Player of the Match
Player of the Match

What a day for the batsmen it has been? The series is now 1-1 and it moves to Mohali for the third match. We will be back with our match coverage then. In the meantime, Abhishek Purohit is getting his match report together and will be available on the site soon. Thanks for all your comments and feedback. It's Devashish Fuloria and Alagappan Muthu signing off. Ciao ciao.

Presentation

Rohit Sharma is the Man of the Match: "It was very important for me to play the big innings. It took a long time coming, but I would like to say that the hardwork never stopped. I wanted to bat throughout the innings, I agree that I have played some stupid shots to get out, but this was much needed. Both Shikhar and I understood the pitch and managed the chase, and Virat came and played a strong innings and his innings needs a mention as much as any."

MS Dhoni: "I think this is one of the best you can see, irrespective of the field restrictions and the pitch, it was still a tall chase. I told them not to look at the target and just go and play. Shikhar batted very well, Kohli was amazing, Rohit got a big knock. It was an ideal pitch, fast outfield, but you need to keep the shape as a batsman, that's what they did well. Our batting is looking good, but it's unfair to assume the batsmen are going to chase a 300+ target everytime. Most of our guys have played international cricket, but most of them don't have the experience of a Yuvraj Singh who has played over 250 matches, what you have to do is to be aggressive, but what is important is that you don't have to slog, you have to maintain good shape. Bowling, we need to improve. The reason is that if you attempt a yorker and it becomes a low full toss, it's fine, but if it becomes a waist-high full toss, then the margin is too much. It's one area we are looking to improve."

George Bailey: "I don't know, I am not sure what to feel at the moment. Obviously, it was some awesome batting. They did it pretty comfortably in the end. Everything we tried the ball seemed to go further and harder. You think the pitch is a beauty? [chuckles]. There are always things you can do differently, but there are no second chances."


Bhardwaj DSS: "In this age, when there is so much cricket being played, so many different formats, when you find it difficult to remember who played last night or who one that series or this match and how, it must definitely mean something that we remember many of Virat Kohli's knocks! Magnificent."

sandyk: "SO the prophecy is true. Home team never loses in Jaipur!!!. After first innings i was wondering its the home team of Watson"

Shikhar Dhawan: "We started off very well and once we got the momentum, we just carried on. Both (Rohit and Dhawan) are doing a good job for the country. We didn't want to play rash shots early, we opened up only later. I am happy for Rohit that he got the century today, because he was playing well in the last few months."

Leon Soares: "The score summary for India will read as Dhawan with the lowest score in the team sheet today! How about scoring 95 and ending up there!"

Virat Kohli: "I kept telling Rohit that it was his day today, but i kept hitting the ball very well. I didn't bat in the nets yesterday, just had a few throw downs. I wasn't worried about the short-pitched stuff, i pulled a few of them early and then they started bowling half-volleys. Rohit is the best of the young lot that we have and he is the most dangerous T20 player, so it was a privilege to watch him from the other end."

keshav: "Virat Kohli is an untamed beast! Has he ever heard of something called the 'bad patch' or 'out of form'! Definitely in the line of classy players like Ponting and Sachin to whom form doesn't matter as they are perennially in it."

This has been some hitting festival! This is so wrong, India winning this match by nine wickets (nine wickets!!), with six and a half overs to spare, who would have thought that at the mid-innings break? Shikhar Dhawan started it, Rohit Sharma held it together and Virat Kohli just ran away with it. India have squared up the seven match series with one of the most unbelievable chases in ODIs. Bailey has the same expression as mine.. He is at loss of words. Let's not take away anything from Australia who put that strong total up in the first place - their top five all scoring effortless half-centuries, but this was one of those days when you get a high, then get hurt later with a bigger blow. The pitch played out very true and it was a nightmare for the bowlers overall. But the Kohli century, it was exquisite, and made the chase completely one-sided in the end. It was very similar to how he handled another 300+ chase against Sri Lanka in Feb 2012, in Australia.

Suresh Saka: "This opening pair of Shikar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma is here to stay. Similarities there between Sehwag and Gambhir, but here lefty Shikar is the aggressor and righty Rohit the anchorman."

Jagger: "One can only wonder what match-winning deeds Harris, Pattinson, Bird, Siddle, Cummins, McDermott, Starc et al would have produced on this wicket. I thought something fishy was going on when Bailey and Hughes looked like world-beaters."

Prathab Kumar: "Did someone notice that out top 6 successful chases, Australia were at the receiving end in 5 matches...!!!???? (That must really be a record)"

Chandra: "Can we swap this result to the 2003 WC final as Australia's scores are same?"

43.3
4
Maxwell to RG Sharma, FOUR, another low full toss on the pads, and this is flicked to the boundary again.. Geez... how many more to score? Oh, this is over! Six and a half overs to spare. I am gobsmacked
43.2
6
Maxwell to RG Sharma, SIX, well, what can i say! It's a low full toss and it's smashed with the ease of driving a bicycle on an airstrip.. i don't know what to say really.. this is over the cow corner

paul mac: "A bowling machine would have taken more wickets today."

43.1
4
Maxwell to RG Sharma, FOUR, where are the fielders! this was a mere push through cover and there is no one in the deep, four more.. This is wrong, so wrong

END OF OVER:
43 | 9 Runs | IND: 348/1 (12 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 8.09, RRR: 1.71)

  • Rohit Sharma127 (120b)
  • Virat Kohli100 (52b)
  • Xavier Doherty10-0-70-0
  • Glenn Maxwell5-0-34-0

Chirag Mehta: "Someone said "One thing is for sure, Australia's bowlers are not likely to serve as many hit-me deliveries as the Indians", hope he's not hiding somewhere now :)" ---- Good memory Chirag, I am going to disappear very soon

42.6
1
Doherty to RG Sharma, 1 run, he drives this one through cover for a single
42.5
1
Doherty to Kohli, 1 run, he gets the fastest ODI century by an Indian, the seventh fastest ever, with a delicate dab to point. the whole ground erupts, Kohli's teammates erupt.It's his 16th 100 as well
42.4
0
Doherty to Kohli, no run, he cuts this straight to point, smiles everywhere..

He is now on the door of his century

42.3
6
Doherty to Kohli, SIX, clears his front leg out and smashes the tossed up delivery from leg stump to over cow corner
42.2
0
Doherty to Kohli, no run, comes down the pitch, but the bowler pulls the length back and Kohli has to defend
42.1
1
Doherty to RG Sharma, 1 run, he takes a forward step and eases it to long off for a single

Sagar: "Who says Ishant Sharma is not an inspiration? Ask the Aussie bowlers!!"

That 60-ball century by Sehwag is in danger of losing out

END OF OVER:
42 | 14 Runs | IND: 339/1 (21 runs required from 48 balls, RR: 8.07, RRR: 2.62)

  • Rohit Sharma125 (118b)
  • Virat Kohli93 (48b)
  • Glenn Maxwell5-0-34-0
  • Xavier Doherty9-0-61-0

benil: "Mean while KP tweets "Rohit & @imVkohli take a bow.. As a cricket fan and a batsmen - WOW""

41.6
1
Maxwell to RG Sharma, 1 run, tossed up delivery, it's driven to extra cover for a quick single
41.5
1
Maxwell to Kohli, 1 run, comes down the pitch and punches the quicker delivery down the ground to long off
41.4
4
Maxwell to Kohli, FOUR, and this time he goes over the infield on the off side, more of a slice, but there is no protection in the deep. Four more.. Geeeez
41.3
6
Maxwell to Kohli, SIX, comes down the pitch, Maxwell saw him and bowled it quick, but it doesn't matter because Kohli launches it over cow corner with ease
41.2
1
Maxwell to RG Sharma, 1 run, flighted on the pads, easily driven to midwicket with a wristy flick
41.1
1
Maxwell to Kohli, 1 run, he comes down the pitch and pushes the full delivery to long on for a single

More spin, Maxwell, round the wicket

END OF OVER:
41 | 5 Runs | IND: 325/1 (35 runs required from 54 balls, RR: 7.92, RRR: 3.88)

  • Rohit Sharma123 (116b)
  • Virat Kohli81 (44b)
  • Xavier Doherty9-0-61-0
  • Mitchell Johnson9-1-68-0
40.6
0
Doherty to RG Sharma, no run, and he is not keen to take a run at all, that is fourth dot ball in the over as Rohit defends it to off

Michael: "As an Englishman I really hope that Mitchell Johnson's confidence is as fragile as ever and the Indian batsmen have thoroughly broken him again. He bowls to the left..."

40.5
0
Doherty to RG Sharma, no run, more solid defence from Rohit, he is no hurry
40.4
0
Doherty to RG Sharma, no run, more flight this time, Rohit leans forward and pushes it to cover
40.3
0
Doherty to RG Sharma, no run, against all odds, Rohit defends this tossed up delivery calmly

Round the wicket

40.2
1
Doherty to Kohli, 1 run, comes out of the pitch again, but this time slaps it firmly down to long on

Australia tour of India 2013-14 News