Australia 352 runs for 7 wickets (Marsh 96, Smith 74, Labuschagne 72, Bumrah 3-81, Kuldeep 2-48) India 286 (Rohit 81, Kohli 56, Maxwell 4-40, Hazlewood 2-42) by 66 runs
Australia, playing with full strength, took the lead from the beginning. He scored 90 runs for 1 wicket, with India hitting 11 fours and five sixes in the first ten overs. And he targeted Jasprit Bumrah, who had a game of two halves. He took 0 for 51 in his first five overs and 3 for 30 in his last five overs, but his overall length was short.
Marsh hit the fast bowler’s first ball through cover and hit two fours and a six in his second over. Warner took 16 runs in Mohammed Siraj’s second over, before Prasidh Krishna scored 19 runs in his first over, taking Australia to 50 in 6.1 overs.
Warner soon brought up his third half-century of the series off 32 balls, but failed to continue. Trying to be a little more adventurous, Warner pre-emptively scooped a ball of precise length onto the stumps, but could only get a top edge through the glove and past the wicketkeeper.
Smith, arriving on the back of a duck, was immediately in his element. He started with a typical cross-the-line wrist clip before hitting a brilliant cover drive against Prasidh.
Spin was introduced in the tenth over but it did not make much difference with both Marsh and Smith scoring boundaries at regular intervals. Marsh completed his half-century off 45 balls before the heat increased, while Australia crossed the 150 mark in the 22nd over.
Bumrah’s second spell also proved costly due to the bowling by Marsh. He bowled the ball sharply over deep backward square leg before hitting three consecutive fours. Smith and Marsh added 137 runs off 119 balls for the second wicket and the 400 mark was crossed when Australia reached 200 in 26.2 overs.
But India managed to pull things back well. Marsh, absolutely unfazed by the heat, wrong-footed Kuldeep to cover on 96. Soon after, Siraj pinned Smith right in front with a length ball which skidded and his flick attempt missed. Bumrah bounced back to deceive Alex Carey with a slower offcutter and then rattled Maxwell’s off pole with a pinpoint yorker. And, when Cameron Green was out at long-on, Australia had lost four wickets for 57 runs in 11 overs between the 32nd and 43rd overs.
However, Labuschagne maintained his composure to take Australia forward. He scored 72 runs in 58 balls with the help of nine fours, which helped Australia cross 350 runs in the last over. Despite the tall score, India managed to pull things back in the last overs, conceding 122 runs in the last 20 overs and just 66 runs in the last ten.
Rohit had a new opening partner in Washington Sundar and India got off to a great start in the chase, largely due to Rohit. Both added 74 runs in 65 balls for the first wicket, in which Rohit contributed 55 runs in 35 balls.
The pull worked magic for the Indian captain that day and this shot gave him 35 runs in just ten balls. Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were all sent across the on-side boundaries at various places, while the extra cover fence was also hit more than once.
Rohit completed his half-century in 31 balls with the help of three fours and five sixes. Ironically, it was this ill-timed pull that took him to the milestone. Green got some extra bounce outside off and Rohit got top edge on a pull that went straight up. But Starc failed to take a difficult catch while running back from short third.
Washington was out after scoring 18 runs in 30 balls and Labuschagne took a brilliant catch at wide long-off. Kohli then joined Rohit and the duo added 70 runs in 61 balls to maintain the chase.
However, a brilliant piece of reflex catch sent Rohit back and Australia choked after that. Rohit certainly stepped back and slapped a sharp length ball towards the bowler, who tried to take the dodge, but ended up sticking his right hand as the ball stuck.
After Rohit’s dismissal in the 21st over, Australia hit only two fours and one six in the next ten overs. Kohli brought up his 65th half-century in this format, but became Maxwell’s third victim when he top-edged a short-of-length ball to Smith at midwicket.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul failed to hit boundaries as the required rate continued to rise. Rahul was sent back by Starc while Suryakumar Yadav failed to repeat his second ODI feat. And when Iyer was dismissed by Maxwell, the end was near.
Green got some batting practice by scoring 35 runs in 36 balls before ending the proceedings by dismissing Siraj on the last ball of the game. For Australia, each of the six bowlers took a wicket.
Ashish Pant is sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo