No one saw this coming. Against a transitioning Australian batting lineup, missing their regular match-winners, most fans anticipated a comfortable ODI series win for Shubman Gill’s Indian squad. However, the reality proved to be quite different. The young Australian batters demonstrated remarkable resilience through challenging periods, ultimately securing the ODI series 2-0 with a hard-fought two-wicket victory at the Adelaide Oval.
While Indian supporters had a moment to cheer for Rohit Sharma, who rediscovered his form with a fighting 73 runs off 97 balls, Virat Kohli’s second duck of the series was a significant dampener. This contrasting performance sets the stage for what many are speculating could be a ‘Ro-Ko’ farewell at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday, at least for ODI cricket in Australia.
Australia’s Cooper Connolly shakes hands with India’s Virat Kohli (AP/PTI)
Australia’s tactical approach was clear: while they rested established batsmen like Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, and Marnus Labuschagne—likely reserving them for the upcoming Ashes—they unleashed their full complement of top-tier bowlers, with only an injured Pat Cummins absent. The likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa, all adept at exploiting home conditions, proved to be a formidable force. Medium-pacer Xavier Bartlett also made a crucial impact, taking key wickets including Shubman Gill (9), Virat Kohli (0), and Washington Sundar, collectively restricting India to a modest total of 264.
There was a time when such a total would have felt sufficient for India, especially with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav spearheading their attack. Their absence, however, was glaringly apparent on Thursday. Despite the Indian bowlers chipping away with wickets, they consistently lacked the decisive ‘knock-out punch’ needed to break the young Aussie batters’ tenacious resistance. Matt Short, at number three, made the most of two dropped catches to compile a crucial 74 off 78 balls, while Mitchell Owen, batting at seven, impressed with a quick 36 off just 23 deliveries, a performance sure to catch the eye of IPL franchises. However, the true hero was Cooper Connolly, a 22-year-old left-hander. Despite a previous struggle against India earlier in the year, Connolly demonstrated exceptional composure and temperament, scoring an unbeaten 61 off 53 balls to steer Australia home, even as wickets fell around him.
The story of this defeat is incomplete without addressing ‘Kuldeep, the missing link.’ The left-arm wrist-spinner was seen interacting with fans after the game, but he would undoubtedly have preferred to be celebrating an Indian victory from the field. Instead, he sat in the dugout, as India opted for eight batters, with all-rounder Nitish Reddy at number eight. Reddy’s contribution was minimal, scoring 8 runs from 10 balls and bowling three wicketless overs for 24. Australia’s middle order had shown clear vulnerabilities against spin, struggling notably against the finger-spin of Washington Sundar and Axar Patel. Yet, with Kuldeep’s unique wicket-taking ability unavailable, India failed to deliver the crucial blow against Connolly and Owen’s 59-run sixth-wicket partnership, which ultimately turned the tide.
While India’s struggles with their bowling depth in crunch moments became a significant talking point, Australia’s disciplined attack truly stole the show in the initial stages of the match. Josh Hazlewood delivered one of his most impactful wicketless spells (0-29), consistently hitting an impeccable length that left batsmen guessing. The relentless pressure he built forced Shubman Gill to attempt a risky shot against Xavier Bartlett, resulting in a brilliant catch by Mitchell Marsh at mid-off. In the same over, Bartlett dismissed Kohli with a subtle off-cutter, leaving India struggling at 17-2 in the seventh over. Despite a resilient fightback led by Rohit and Shreyas Iyer (61 off 77 balls), Adam Zampa (4-60) eventually broke their momentum. The leg-spinner, with his clever variations of pace and turn, masterfully removed Iyer, a renowned player of spin. Had Axar Patel or KL Rahul been able to hold the crease until the end, India might have had a chance to push for a more competitive score of 300.