India were beaten comprehensively by Australia, going down by 106 runs in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 warm-up match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane briefly offered India a faint glimmer of hope, but the rest of the batting folded without a fight as India crashed to their fifth straight 50-over defeat in the last couple of weeks.
After David Warner’s century and Glenn Maxwell’s 57-ball 122, all eyes were on Indian openers Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, whose 138 against Australia was the only century India scored in the tri-series leading up to the World Cup. However, Rohit was unable to replicate the effort, as he nudged Josh Hazlewood to Aaron Finch at slip for eight.
Virat Kohli came in at his preferred No. 3 position, and hit three boundaries en route to an attractive 18. He was looking good, but inside edged a ball from Mitchell Starc onto his stumps while trying to run it down third man. At 53 for two, India were in deep trouble, but Rahane joined Dhawan and the duo added 104 for the third wicket.
Both men scored their respective half-centuries, but once Rahane was dismissed holing out to Mitchell Marsh off Pat Cummins, the floodgates were opened in the most comprehensive way imaginable. Suresh Raina was brilliantly run out by David Warner, MS Dhoni lasted all of one ball, pulling Cummins to square leg for what would have been six had it not been for Starc’s tremendous one-handed catch. Stuart Binny was then bowled by Mitchell Johnson to leave India in danger of not making it to 200.
Ambati Rayudu gave Indian supporters a couple a few reasons to cheer, as he went on the offensive. He hammered four fours and four sixes en rote to a 42-ball 53, but it was much too little and far too late in the innings to cause any damage. That India managed to cross 250 was mainly due to the fact that the likes of Akshar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin were able to come in at Nos 10 and 11. In the end, India were severely out-classed by their dominant hosts.
Earlier, Australia set India a mammoth target of 372. Maxwell clobbered as many as eight sixes and 11 boundaries as he retired on 122, to help Australia make most of the perfect batting track at the Adelaide Oval. Warner continued to make most of his excellent form as he smashed a fine century, scoring 104 off 83 balls. The left-handed batsman displayed terrific timing throughout his stay at the crease, swatting 14 fours and two sixes to notch up his yet another century against India. Australia were off to a rollicking start early on as Warner smashed a four off the first ball in the innings. In fact, the first deliveries of the first three overs in the innings yielded boundaries to Australia, with their openers Warner and Finch providing a strong start.
Warner and Finch added 62 runs for the opening wicket, as they punished Indian bowlers for maintaining poor line and length. Finch failed to convert the start that he got into a big score, as he was the first man to be dismissed, by Stuart Binny in the ninth over of the innings.
Shane Watson walked in to bat at No. 3 and despite getting a start; he too failed to make most of the opportunity. The right-handed batsman was dismissed by Mohit Sharma, who has been confirmed as the replacement for Ishant Sharma by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Mohit got Watson caught by Akshar Patel in the deep, as the Indian fielder did an excellent job to take the catch. Watson fell after scoring 22 runs, which came off 17 balls and three boundaries.
Australia slipped further as Steven Smith had a rare failure, as in the 16th over he walked across the wickets off Umesh Yadav and missed to connect with the ball completely. Smith’s leg-stump was knocked off as India celebrated the third wicket.
However, George Bailey and Warner then teamed up to take Australia ahead, as they added 65 runs for the fourth wicket. Bailey, who has been in poor form of late shrugged it off with a fine 66-ball 44 with the help of six hits to the fence. It was in the 27th over when Warner got to his century with a four off Akshar, but the Indian spinner got rid of the Australian opener soon in the same over.
Maxwell and Bailey teamed up to take Australia ahead, and it was in the 33rd over when the former started to open up. Maxwell reverse-swept two boundaries off Akshar and ended the over with a six, signalling that India were up for trouble. The right-handed batsman hit boundaries and sixes at will, as Indians had no answer for the havoc he created.
The first delivery of the 45th over got India the wicket of Mitchell Marsh, but Maxwell slammed two fours and then three consecutive sixes off Umesh as he also completed his century off just 53 balls, with the help of 10 fours and five sixes.
Brief scores:
Australia 371 in 48.2 overs (David Warner 103, Glenn Maxwell 122 retd.; Mohammed Shami 3 for 83) beat India 265 in 45.1 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 59, Ajinkya Rahane 66, Ambati Rayudu 53; Pat Cummins 3 for 30) by 106 runs.
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