Rohit Sharma smashed his 33rd one-day international hundred, and Virat Kohli rebounded from back-to-back ducks with a meticulous half-century, as India avoided a whitewash against Australia with a nine-wicket win to close their three-match series. This match may have been their final ODI international in Australia.
Sharma, 38, and Kohli, 36, will not feature in the upcoming five-game T20 series against Australia starting on October 29, although neither player has confirmed Saturday’s fixture was their final match Down Under.
Sharma made an unbeaten 121 off 125 balls, including 13 fours and three sixes, while Kohli scored 74 not out. Together, they knocked off the target of 237-1 with more than 11 overs to spare in what could be their last international innings in Australia.
Fast bowler Harshit Rana delivered a career-best 4-39, bowling out Australia for a below-par 236 after India lost its 18th consecutive toss in an ODI. All six Indian bowlers contributed to taking wickets. Australia had already clinched the series 2-0 by winning Thursday’s match in Adelaide by two wickets, which followed a seven-wicket victory in the rain-interrupted opener in Perth.
“We had a near-perfect game,” said India captain Shubman Gill, who scored 24 off 26 balls before falling to Josh Hazlewood. “Rohit and Kohli have done it for so many years. It’s a delight to watch.”
### Sharma, Kohli Return to Form
Sharma and Kohli received loud cheers from the crowd of nearly 40,000 at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they shared a 168-run partnership — the first century stand between the two since January 2020.
Sharma’s century was highlighted by strong sweeps against spinners in front of square, and he lofted leg-spinner Adam Zampa (0-50) for sixes on either side of the wicket twice before raising his hundred with a single against the leg-spinner.
Kohli, who was dismissed without scoring in both Perth and Adelaide, showed resilience by pumping his fist gently as he drove Hazlewood for a single to wide mid-on from the first ball he faced. He grew in confidence as he cut Zampa to the point boundary and welcomed Mitchell Starc with a straight-driven four.
Kohli survived a close LBW review on 36 when he went to pull Nathan Ellis’s short ball and completed his half-century off 56 balls. With this knock, Kohli also overtook Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs) and with 14,255 runs in ODI cricket, he now trails only Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 18,426 runs.
### Australia’s Batting Collapse
Earlier, Matt Renshaw scored his maiden ODI half-century with 56 runs before Australia collapsed and were bowled out in 46.4 overs.
Australia’s first six batters all crossed the 20-run mark but failed to convert their starts into big scores. The home team stood at a comfortable 183-3 in the 34th over but then lost four wickets for just 18 runs as India picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Travis Head (29) started aggressively before offering a tame catch at backward point off Mohammed Siraj. Mitchell Marsh looked promising on 41 but was clean bowled by left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the 16th over after giving himself too much room.
Renshaw and Alex Carey added 59 runs for the fourth-wicket stand before Shreyas Iyer took a stunning catch running from backward point. Renshaw was out LBW in the 37th over after advancing down the wicket against Washington Sundar (2-44).
Nathan Ellis played a brief cameo of 16 runs with three boundaries before Australia was bowled out.
“We needed one more stand in the back-end of our first innings,” Marsh said. “Had a great platform at 183-3, but couldn’t cash in.”
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