Another Virat Kohli masterclass has propelled India to a six-wicket win against Australia to square their limited overs series at one-all.
India captain Virat Kohli Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2017 www.photosport.nz
Chasing 299 runs to win on Tuesday at Adelaide Oval, Kohli struck a sublime 104 from 112 deliveries as India reached their target with four balls remaining.
Kohli's 39th ODI ton was followed by a typically ice-cool finish from MS Dhoni (55 not out from 54 balls) as India set-up a series decider in Melbourne on Friday.
The Indians eclipsed Australia's 9-298 highlighted by Shaun Marsh's 131 from 123 balls in temperatures peaking at more than 42 degrees.
Australia's concerns grew over captain Aaron Finch's form slump: he made just six and was bowled for the fifth time in his past eight ODI knocks before Marsh and Glenn Maxwell (48 from 37 balls) boosted Australia's total.
Kohli then produced yet another gem and he's now 10 tons shy of compatriot Sachin Tendulkar's world record for most ODI centuries - Tendulkar made 49 in 463 ODIs while Kohli has played 218.
After Kohli's dismissal in the 44th over left India needing 55 from the last six overs, his captaincy predecessor Dhoni nervelessly steered the tourists to their target.
Requiring seven runs from the final over from Jason Behrendorff, Dhoni smacked the first ball for six over long-on and pinched a single from the next.
"To watch Virat and then MS do what he did in the end is just a brilliant tutorial for our young batters," Australian coach Justin Langer said.
"But it also puts our bowlers under great pressure and you like to see them under pressure and see how they react.
"We were playing against three all-time great one-day international players (including Rohit Sharma) ... we must respect that.
"The way Virat and MS batted today, you hate losing, but when you see that - it's why they are such great players and we will gain great experience from it."
Earlier, Australians Marsh and Maxwell - again batting at No.7 and arriving at the crease in the 38th over - put on 94 runs from 65 balls.
Marsh now has seven ODI centuries - and four of the past five by Australians.
But Finch's torrid summer continued when he aimed a big drive at a Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-45) delivery but edged onto his stumps.
Finch was axed from Australia's Test team after making 97 runs at an average of 16.16 in the first three Tests of the just-completed series against India.
He was also bowled for six by Kumar in the ODI series-opener last Saturday and struggled as well in the ODI series last November against South Africa, making 57 runs in the three matches.
- AAP
