Australians tame India in first ODI

Australia reached the target with four balls to spare after Bailey and Smith put on 242 runs for the third wicket to take Australia out of danger. Debutant Indian medium-pacer Barinder Sram took two early wickets to push the hosts on to the backfoot at 21 for two in the first five overs. 

Sram took one more wicket, that of Smith to finish with 3 for 56 in 9.2 overs. 

Earlier, Rohit Sharma smashed his way to a magnificent unbeaten 171 as India piled up an imposing 309 for 3 after electing to bat.. While hitting his ninth ODI hundred, the stylish right-hander from Mumbai broke a plethora of records, including the one where he surpassed Sir Vivian Richards’ 153 which has been the highest individual score against Australia in an ODI Down Under for the last 37 years. 

Rohit faced 163 balls hitting 13 boundaries and seven huge sixes. He also added 207 runs for the second wicket with vice-captain Virat Kohli (91), who missed a well-deserved hundred. The Indian vice-captain hit 9 boundaries and a six. 

Australia got a taste of Rohit’s blazing blade especially towards the end when India scored 61 off the last five overs. Their partnership was the highest second for India against Australia in the ODIs surpassing the previous best of 199 set by Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in Indore back in 2001. 

The Rohit-Kohli combination tore apart an inexperienced Australian attack as their debutant duo of left-arm fast bowler Joel Paris (0/53 in 8 overs) and right arm medium fast Scott Boland (0/74 in 10 overs) were made to look ordinary.