India vs Australia 2023, 2nd ODI: Shubman Gill- Shreyas Iyer's 200-run stand, Suryakumar Yadav's 72 and Ravichandran Ashwin's 3-26 are top performances. India beat Australia and take unassailable lead of 2-0.
Brief Scores: India 399/5 (Iyer 105, Gill 104, Green 2/103) beat Australia 217 (Abbott 54, Warner 53, Ashwin 3/41) by 99 runs (DLS)
Player of the Match: Shreyas Iyer (105 runs in 90 balls)
India took on Australia as a top-ranked side across all three formats, who have lost their last four consecutive one-day games for the second of the three-match ODI series at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.
Talking point: Iyer, Ashwin & Sky made solid World Cup contention
Coming into the series, the eyes were on the form and fitness of Shreyas Iyer, who has ticked the box with his aggressive century, while Ravichandran Ashwin, too, with his excellent smart bowling, has put his name in the mix. Suryakumar Yadav, coming late into the order with his funky shots, too, has made a solid contention for his World Cup spot.
Powerful India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead against sloppy Australia
On winning the toss, Stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith opted to bowl first, keeping the dew in mind. India rested Jasprit Bumrah to bring back Prasidh Krishna while Josh Hazlewood returned for the visitors, besides Spencer Johnson getting a debut cap.
Putting into bat first, India lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad early before Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer took care of the recovery, taking their team to 187/1 at the halfway mark. Their twin centuries and a 200-run stand for the second wicket carried India to 296/3 in 40 overs before Suryakumar Yadav’s 37-ball 72* rolled them to 399/5 in 50 overs, their highest ODI score against Australia.
Even after losing two quick wickets early on, Australia recovered well at 56/2 in nine overs before an hour of rain kept a new equation where Australia needed 317 runs in 33 overs. Suddenly, they were reduced to 102/5 in 15 overs before some silly batting and running pushed them to 140/8 in 21 overs. The 77-run ninth wicket stand in 45 balls gave a little respect to them before being bundled out for 217 as India grabbed a 99-run victory.
Let’s take a look at the top three performances from the second ODI between India and Australia in Indore
Hungry Iyer & Gill offered India a superb platform with a record 200-run stand
Unlike the last game, India lost opener Gaikwad early when Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to get back into the running after an injury, joined Shubman Gill in the middle.
Iyer began wildly elevating S Johnson over the extra cover for two beautiful boundaries before slapping Josh Hazlewood through covers for the same result. Gill lofted Sean Abbott straight down the ground for a six before smashing Cameron Green over long-on to reach his fifty in just 37 balls.
Iyer re-joined the party with a straight drive boundary before sending Johnson over long-off for a six to get to his comeback fifty in 41 balls. He whipped Adam Zampa over long-on for a six and four as Gill drilled Hazlewood for a four through covers. With a single, Iyer reached his third ODI hundred in 83 balls, while Gill cracked his sixth ODI century, fifth in 2023, in just 92 balls. Both managed the 200-run stand for the second wicket in just 165 balls.
Iyer, dismissed on 105 in 90 balls with 11 fours and three sixes, now has 1753 ODI runs in 46 innings, whereas Gill's 104-run knock in 79 balls with six boundaries and four sixes took him to 1917 ODI runs in 35 innings.
Ashwin destroyed Australia with 3/41
One of the questions going into the series was whether Ravichandran Ashwin could make his way back into the World Cup squad for India with Axar Patel nursing his injury.
Even though he was slapped for a few runs, Ashwin broke the stumps of
Marnus Labuschagne on 27 with a carrom ball that the batter missed to flick. It’s the second time in the series that Labuschagne was undone to Ashwin. On the first ball of his fourth over, Ashwin trapped right-handed Warner on 53 before the stumps, even though replays showed there was an inside edge.
Josh Inglis looked to sweep Ashwin but was stuck low on the front foot as the umpire raised his finger to judge his leg before the stumps (LBW). He finished with 3/41 in seven overs to now have 155 ODI scalps in 115 games.
Suryakumar’s unbeaten 72-run knock fired India near 400
By the time Suryakumar Yadav walked into the middle, India had a great platform, but they needed a firing finish.
Suryakumar took his time in the first nine balls before smashing Cameron Green for four consecutive sixes, with the best one being lifted over deep extra cover. He has 44 ODI runs against Green in 16 balls at a strike rate of 275.
He sliced Abbott through point for a boundary before smashing him over wide long-on for a six to celebrate his fifty in just 25 balls. He pulled Hazlewood to the deep mid-wicket for a boundary before flicking Abbott over fine leg for a six to remain unbeaten on 72 in 37 balls with the help of six boundaries and as many as sixes.
Suryakumar now has 659 ODI runs in 29 games at a strike rate 105.61.
Statistical Highlights from India vs Australia, 2nd ODI, Indore
Iyer now has 642 runs in 11 ODI innings at number three with an average of 58.67 and a strike rate of 97.71.
Gill-Iyer's 200-run stand is the fourth-highest for India in ODIs against Australia for any wicket.
Gill now has 1230 ODI runs in 2023 with an average of 66.1 and a strike rate 102.8 with nine fifties and six hundreds.
India became the first team to hit 3,000 sixes in ODIs.
What’s to come
Both these two teams will lock horns for the third and final ODI of the series on September 27 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
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