Shubman Gill (104 off 97) and Shreyas Iyer (105 off 90) hit brilliant tons and added 200 for the second wicket as India posted an imposing 399/5 in the second ODI against Australia at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Sunday, September 24.
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad quickly for 8. Josh Hazlewood bowled a good delivery in the channel and Gaikwad could only nick it to the keeper. There wasn’t much joy for Australia after that as Gill and Shreyas took charge of the action.
Shreyas, who was under pressure to perform, got off the blocks quickly, with two fours off debutant Spencer Johnson in the fifth over. He kept finding the gaps with ease after that. Gill then slammed Sean Abbott for a four and six in the ninth over to bring up the 50-run stand off only with 29 balls.
Gill was the first to bring up his fifty, whacking a length ball from Cameron Green down the ground for a maximum. Soon, Shreyas also brought up his half-century in similar mode, smacking a free hit from Johnson for a straight six. He then took on leg-spinner Adam Zampa and slapped him for four and six off consecutive deliveries in the 19th over.
India raced to 187/1 at the halfway stage, but both batters slowed down as they approached their respective centuries. Shreyas got there first by pushing an overpitched delivery from Zampa to long on to a single and letting out a big roar.
He could have been dismissed caught and bowled by Abbott immediately after reaching his hundred, but the bowler could not complete a catch cleanly as he dived full length. The tired batter, however, perished in the same over, looking for another big hit.
Gill then reached yet another ton, his sixth in ODIs, scampering a quick single off Abbott’s bowling. At the other end, KL Rahul dispatched a length ball from Green out of the Holkar Stadium. There was some respite for the visitors as Gill miscued an attempted bit hit off the Aussie pacer.
Rahul, Suryakumar provide finishing touches to India’s innings with blazing knocks
After Gill’s dismissal, Rahul and Ishan Kishan maintained the tempo, adding 59 runs for the fourth wicket. The latter smacked 31 off 18, his cameo ending when he top-edged Zampa while attempting a heave. In the 44th over of the innings, Suryakumar Yadav took a liking to Green’s pace and walloped him for four consecutive sixes – the over costing Australia 26 runs.
Skipper Rahul raced to 50 off 35 balls. His fine knock ended for 52 off 38 when he missed a cutter from Green and was knocked over. Suryakumar, though, kept finding the big hits. He raced to 50 in 24 balls as 17 came off the 47th over bowled by Abbott.
A couple of good overs at the death kept India under 400, but Suryakumar still finished with a sensational 72* off 37 balls, whacking six fours and as many sixes.
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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert