Batting masterclass from Rohit, Virat steers India to emphatic 9-wicket win in Sydney

SYDNEY: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli delivered a batting masterclass to dismantle Australia and take India to a nine-wicket win and end the three-match ODI series on a high.

With Australia having taken 2-0 lead and the series out of India’s grasp, the Shubman Gill-led side ensured that it was not a bilateral series whitewash against Australia. Rohit and Virat ensured an unbeaten 168-run stand for the second wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.

In pursuit of a paltry 237-run target, Rohit and captain Shubman Gill provided India with a sturdy start, blending aggression and caution to keep the scoreboard ticking. After two failures, Gill appeared well poised for an extended stay on the crease.

However, after the powerplay concluded and the fielding restrictions were lifted after the 10th over, Josh Hazlewood caught a feather touch from Gill, which flew to wicketkeeper Alex Carey and ended his promising knock on 24(26).

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were at their fluent best in the final ODI against Australia #AUSvIND : https://t.co/gElymMZkV6 pic.twitter.com/1fvga26qnV

— ICC (@ICC) October 25, 2025

Virat Kohli, who was yet to open his account in the three-match series after two ducks on the trot, gently flicked his first ball for a single. A smile appeared on his face when he crossed the non-striker’s end and celebrated the moment with a fist bump as the crowd applauded and cheered.

Virat never looked back and lived up to his title of ‘Chase Master’. The duo pulled out their refined strokes to decimate Australia’s pace attack. Adam Zampa, who orchestrated India’s downfall with a four-wicket haul, found himself at the receiving end of Rohit’s brute force.

Rohit remained circumspect and hammered his fifty in 63 deliveries. He upped the ante in the next 42 deliveries and raced to his 33rd ODI ton. Virat, on the other hand, deployed his wrists effectively to churn out runs and conjured his 75th ODI half-century.

The fate of the contest was pretty much sealed, and Virat struck the winning boundary to notch a consolation win for India with more than 11 overs to spare. As the spectators revelled in the masterpiece, Rohit and Virat returned unbeaten on 121(125) and 74(81), respectively as the series concluded 2-1 in Australia’s favour.

In the first innings, under pressure and with questions around his place in the team, Harshit silenced his critics by leaving Australia’s batting unit jolted with his sizzling figures of 4/39 in an 8.4-over spell. Australia’s stand-in captain, Mitchell Marsh and swashbuckler Travis Head exploited Sydney’s hard strip in the  powerplay. Head drew the first blood in the third over with a flick to find the first four.

Marsh joined the party as the destructive duo staged a boundary fest and toyed with India’s field. Head crossed the 3000-run mark in the process and appeared poised for an elongated stay on the crease.

However, India’s pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj, who was among the tormented by Head, outfoxed the southpaw to have the last laugh. Head failed to control his late cut on the next ball and dispatched it straight into the hands of Prasidh Krishna, stationed at backward point.

The 61-run opening partnership concluded with Head’s departure on 29(25). A few overs later, Axar Patel rattled Marsh’s stumps on 41(50) before he could wreak more havoc. Matthew Short looked rustic as he tried to negate India’s spin threat, only to perish in his attempt to break free eventually. He went flat and hard on Washington Sundar’s tossed-up delivery but sent the ball straight to Virat Kohli.

The ball approached him swiftly, leaving hardly any space for reaction time. Virat managed to crouch low and complete the catch with a reverse cup close to his face, punching Short’s return ticket on 30(41).

With Australia reduced to 124-3, Alex Carey and Matthew Renshaw tried to weather the storm. Carey, the first-choice wicketkeeper for the hosts, toiled for runs and was handed an unprecedented lifeline after Prasidh Krishna dropped him off Kuldeep Yadav in the 30th over.

Despite the second life, Carey failed to make the most of the opportunity and fell victim to Harshit Rana, courtesy of vice-captain Shreyas Iyer’s splendid effort. While completing the catch, Shreyas landed awkwardly and looked in agonising pain. The medical staff treated him on the field before taking him outside with the help of a staff member.

As Carey returned on 24(37), the floodgates opened and Indian bowlers left the hosts threadbare. The Indian bowlers hunted in packs, with Sundar pinning Renshaw in front of the stumps moments after he completed his maiden ODI fifty on 56(58).

Mitchell Owen holed out to Rohit Sharma off Harshit on 1(4), and Kuldeep Yadav cleaned up Mitchell Starc (2) to put India in a commanding position. Nathan Ellis (16) conjured a couple of boundaries before he dispatched Prasidh Krishna’s low full toss to Rohit.

Harshit Rana had the honour of wrapping up Australia’s innings in the 47th over, with last match’s hero Cooper Connolly (23) fumbling against a slower delivery. Just a ball later, Josh Hazlewood (0) was left bamboozled by Harshit’s searing yorker and revelled in a four-wicket haul.

Brief Scores: Australia 236 (Matt Renshaw 56, Mitchell Marsh 41; Harshit Rana 4-39) vs India 237/1 (Rohit Sharma 121*, Virat Kohli 74*; Josh Hazlewood 1-23). (ANI)