India fail to shed ODI dust in series loss to weakened Australia

India arrived in Australia for the eight-match white-ball tour – three ODIs, five T20Is – ranked No 1 in both formats. Their respective previous outings in the two formats were title-clinching performances in Dubai – the ICC Champions Trophy in March and the T20 Asia Cup in September.

The T20Is might yet throw up positive results, but the ODI leg of this tour was underwhelming. An eight-match winning streak was snapped in Perth, where rain curtailed the game to a 26-overs-per side affair, and India were never going to defend 136 in those conditions. Or in any conditions, really, because they chose once again to leave out their best spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, in preference for batting depth. 

The same happened as the series shifted to Adelaide Oval, where in friendlier batting conditions India posted a score of 264/9 in their 50 overs. Still not good enough to win a match, and more scrutiny over what good the reliance on batting depth gave them. 

Nitish Reddy scored eight runs and conceded 24 from his three overs. Harshit Rana, who went wicketless in Perth, took 2/29 from eight overs and scored a handy 24 not out. But fans and pundits alike still wondered how and why India were still keeping Kuldeep out. 

India had the chance to play him in Adelaide but did not, and that mistake cost them. Australia played their wrist spinner Adam Zampa as soon as he was available from paternity leave, and he took four wickets to set up Australia’s victory. 

On the other hand, India opted for batting depth once more at the expense of leaving out a proven wicket taker and paid the price. Looking at how Washington Sundar took two wickets and Axar Patel one, and how India’s pacers were smashed all over the ground, you just wondered what India think when they tell Kuldeep he’s not in the 11. 

The Adelaide game ended up being closer than it needed to be, as Australia’s chase stumbled before a terrific unbeaten 61 from young Cooper Connolly sealed the deal, and with that the series was Australia’s with a game to spare. 

An Australian team, mind you, missing Pat Cummins for all three games and without Josh Inglis, Cameron Green and the pair of Zampa and Alex Carey for the Perth ODI. India should have won the second match to make it 1-1 heading to Sydney but erred in team selection. 

The sliver of good news for India from the Adelaide match were fifties to Rohit Sharma, who made 73 off 97 balls, and Shreyas Iyer who made 61 off 77, but that was it. Virat Kohli bagged a second consecutive duck for the first time in his illustrious career and skipper Shubman Gill failed again. The middle order came undone against Zampa, with Iyer playing a bad shot once well set, KL Rahul also making the same mistake and Reddy offering no confidence with his batting. 

This set up the dead rubber at the SCG, which India won comfortably. In their last match in Australia, the white ball legend pair of Rohit and Kohli put on one final performance for the fans that harked back to happier times. There were reputations to be lived up to and pride to play for, and after Rana’s four wickets helped limit Australia to 236, the old pair of Rohit and Kohli dominated in a nine-wicket win. 

Rohit, after making 11 in Perth, had shown signs of old form in Adelaide with a solid fifty. At the SCG, in pursuit of a small target, he pulled out all stops with a 33rd ODI century: 120 not out off 125 balls, 18 fours and three sixes. 

This was a vintage knock, in which Rohit used all his experience to assess the target and conditions. In recent years he has preferred going hard inside the Powerplay, but this was a more measured innings, low-risk and yet at a health strike rate. 

Kohli came into this match after consecutive ducks and reminded the fans that there is still gas in the tank with 74 off 81 balls. He celebrated his first run of the series with a smile and then got down to business. No fuss, solid shots, smart running and yet another ODI fifty was his. He and Rohit intend to play the ODI World Cup in 2027, but for that they will have to keep putting up such stirring performances. 

It was a much better performance from India at Adelaide Oval, which even in a dead rubber gave the fans reason to cheer. Mohammed Siraj struck early, Kuldeep finally got a game and bowled economically, Washington took two wickets, and Rana played the biggest role with 4/34.

India have a bit of a gap in ODIs now, and there are problems to address. They should not have lost this series, and hopefully they address the balance of their side in a better way once Hardik Pandya returns.