KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja’s partnership key in India’s victory in first ODI (AP Photo)
KL Rahul scored 75* runs, while Ravindra Jadeja scored 45* as India defeated Australia by 5 wickets in the first ODI at Wankhede Stadium
KL Rahul scored a fifty while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with an all-round display as Team India defeated Australia by 5 wickets in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, March 17. Rahul returned unbeaten with a match-winning knock of 75 runs, while Jadeja also returned not out at 45.
The match-winning 108-run partnership from the Indian pair helped the hosts eke out a fighting victory over Steve Smith’s side as India took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match ODI series.
Earlier, Indian captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl first, after which the Aussies could only score 188 runs, as Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj haunted the visiting batters by picking up 3 wickets each.
Mitchell Marsh was the lone warrior for his side, scoring 81 runs for his team, but apart from him none of the Australia batters could leave a lasting impression.
Travis Head was the first prey of Siraj, who got the action underway for India. There was a small partnership between Marsh and Smith but once Hardik removed his counterpart courtesy of a diving catch from Rahul, things began looking grim for the visitors.
Jadeja then removed Marsh and then the Indian side completely turned the tide. Australia went from 129/3 to 188 all out. Shami got three wickets, Jadeja chipped in with two wickets, and Siraj also got three scalps.
In reply, Pandya’s side didn’t get off to a good start, Ishan Kishan was dismissed by Marcus Stoinis at 3. Virat Kohli was the next to depart at 4, and Suryakumar Yadav was the next casualty of Mitchell Starc, falling for a duck.
With Gill’s departure, India were reduced to 39/4 after which Pandya struck up a partnership with Rahul. The Indian skipper was dismissed at 25, after which Jadeja joined Rahul in the middle.z
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Slowly, they rode the storm and turned the game around, stitching a crucial match-winning partnership as they helped India recover from a precarious position.
For his two-wicket spell, a sublime catch, and an unbeaten knock of 45 runs, Jadeja was adjudged Player of the Match.
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