Picture : BCCI
Talented Shubman Gill once again showed his insatiable hunger for runs with fifth hundred of the year while comeback man from injury Shreyas Iyer hit a timely ton under pressure to set up a series sealing 99-run win for India in the second ODI against Australia in Indore . India have now clinched the series. A win that will boost their World Cup confidence
Gill (104 off 97 balls) and Iyer (105 off 90 balls) shared a stroke-filled 200-run stand off 164 balls before Suryakumar Yadav (72 not out off 37 balls) unleashed carnage to fire India to 399 for five, the hosts’ highest total against Australia in ODIs.
Skipper K L Rahul chipped in with 52 off 38 balls.
Rain stopped play for the second time in the game when Australia were 56 for two in nine overs. With the revised target of 317 in 33 overs, they fell further behind in the game and ended with 217 all out in 28.2 overs.
David Warner (53 off 39), who batted right-handed against R Ashwin (3/41), and Sean Abbott (54 off 36), had a good hit in the middle. The Aussie batting otherwise failed to fire – Steve Smith ( 0), Marnus Labuschagne ( 27), Alex Carey ( 14), Cameron Green ( 19)
The series win without their five main players in the squad was a big boost for India ahead of the World Cup at home.
Gill was imperious as he smashed his second consecutive ODI hundred at this venue, having hammered 112 off 78 balls against New Zealand earlier this year when India ended with a match-winning 395.
Suryakumar Yadav , who had to change his game in the previous match to adapt to the needs of ODI cricket, came out to bat in the 41st over. 72 0ff 37 balls unbeaten with six fours and six sixes was stunning.
In the T20 context, it was an ideal time for him to come and explore his 360 range from ball one. He did just that to power India to a formidable total. His innings included four sixes in a row off Green in the 44th over.
