Shubman Gill on Saturday attributed his first victory as India’s ODI captain to the exceptional innings played by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, describing the nine-wicket win against Australia in the third match as a “near-perfect game.”
Rohit and Virat secured an unbeaten 168-run partnership for the second wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday. Chasing a modest 237-run target, Rohit and captain Shubman Gill gave India a solid start, balancing aggression and caution to keep the scoreboard moving. Gill, after two failures, seemed set for a long innings. However, post-powerplay, Josh Hazlewood caught an edge from Gill, which wicketkeeper Alex Carey snagged, ending Gill’s innings at 24 off 26 balls. Virat Kohli, who had yet to score in the series after two ducks, gently flicked his first ball for a single and celebrated with a fist bump. Virat and Rohit then showcased their strokes, dismantling Australia’s pace attack. Adam Zampa, who had troubled India with a four-wicket haul earlier, faced Rohit’s powerful hitting.
Rohit cautiously reached fifty in 63 deliveries, then accelerated to his 33rd ODI century in just 42 more balls. Virat effectively used his wrists to score his 75th ODI half-century. The match was effectively decided, and Virat hit the winning boundary, securing a consolation win for India with over 11 overs to spare. Rohit and Virat remained unbeaten on 121 off 125 and 74 off 81 balls respectively, as the series ended 2-1 in Australia’s favour.
“We had a near-perfect game. The chase was pleasing to see. Rohit and Kohli have done it for so many years, and it was a delight to watch. It was a special win on a special ground,” Gill said during the post-match presentation, despite India losing the three-match series 1-2.
