DHONI DOES IT AGAIN
AUSSIES POOR IN FIELD
M.S. Dhoni has consigned Australia to yet another ODI series loss, delivering a masterful knock to lead India to a seven-wicket win at the MCG.
Set 231 to win last night’s decider, India reached its target with four balls to spare to claim a 2-1 series victory and cap a summer of unprecedented triumph.
Veteran Dhoni again steered India to victory, scoring an unbeaten 87 off 114 balls — his third 50 from as many games — to repeat his matchwinning heroics in Adelaide.
In a gripping finish, Dhoni was dropped on 74 by Aaron Finch at mid-off, then partner Kedar Jadhav (61 not out) barely survived a run-out at the non-striker’s end.
Jadhav then scored the winning runs to the jubilation of a crowd of 53,603 dominated by Indian fans who chanted Dhoni’s name.
“It’s been an amazing tour,” skipper Virat Kohli said.
“We drew the T20 series, won the Test series and now the ODIs. If you had given me these results before the tour, I would have gladly taken it.”
It is Australia’s seventh straight ODI series loss, extending a two-year winless streak.
Dhoni and Kohli (46) were both able to capitalise on Aus- tralia’s poor fielding and questionable use of the decision review system.
Dhoni was dropped off his first ball by Glenn Maxwell, while replays showed Finch should have reviewed a caught-behind opportunity when Dhoni was on 34. Kohli was dropped by Peter Handscomb on 10 and survived a run-out chance on 32.
“We took it down to the wire but when you give great players a couple of chances, it’s always tough,” Finch said. “The boys gave it everything.”
Much of the post-mortem will focus on Australia’s batting.
Openers Finch and Alex Carey again failed while Shaun Marsh (39), Usman Khawaja (34) and Maxwell (26) were unable to build on promising starts, forcing Handscomb (58) to fight a lone hand.
Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal led the way for India, celebrating his ODI recall with career-best figures of 6-42.
Kohli reaped immediate rewards after winning the toss and opting to bowl.
Carey and Finch fell to swing king Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Chahal then struck twice to remove Marsh and Khawaja.
Maxwell came to the crease in the 30th over but soon fell to Mohammed Shami, squeezing an ill-judged pull shot to a diving Bhuvneshwar at fine leg.