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New Delhi: Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck for the second consecutive match for the first time in his career as India lost the second match by two wickets in Adelaide on Thursday to surrender the three-match series with a game to spare.
India were sent into bat and Rohit Sharma's 73 in a seam-friendly track propelled India to 264 for nine at Adelaide Oval. But it wasn't enough as Australia romped home in 46.2 overs, with Matthew Short's 74 off 78 (4x4, 2x6) and Cooper Connolly’s unbeaten 61 off 53 (5x4, 1x6) being the cornerstone of their run chase.
Australia lost three wickets with the victory line in sight to make it tense though they were expected to win once Connolly stamped his authority.
Australia had won the opener by seven wickets in Perth and wrapped up the series in Adelaide, where India lost after 17 years, to turn the third match in Sydney on October 25 a formality.
Save Rohit's potentially career-extending knock, it has been all disappointment for India on the tour.
The opener was stripped of captaincy before the Australia tour in favour of Shubman Gill, but it seems he has taken it in his stride as he looked fluent in his 97-ball knock.
He was dismissed cheaply in Perth but negotiated the new ball to launch into his trademark pulls as his innings progressed.
The right hander struck seven boundaries and two sixes to put together an118-run stand for the third wicket with Shreyas Iyer (61 off 77 balls).
It pulled them out from a rut after India had lost skipper Gill (9) and Virat Kohli (0) in quickly.
India’s innings received a boost towards the end from Axar Patel (44 off 41 balls), as he forged a 39-run innings with Washington Sundar (12).
Harshit Rana (24 not out) and Arshdeep Singh (13) added 37 off 29 balls for the ninth wicket to take their total past 260.
Leg spinner Adam Zampa (4 for 60) and Xavier Bartlett (3/39 in 10 overs), including the wicket Kohli, who failed to negotiate an inswinger and was judged leg before for nought, fuelling speculation of retirement talks.
India: 264/9; 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 73, Shreyas Iyer 61, Axar Patel 44; Adam Zampa 4/60, Xavier Bartlett 3/39) lost to Australia 265/8; 46.2 overs (Matthew Short 74, Cooper Connolly Washington Sundar 2/37, Arshdeep Singh 2/41, Harshit Rana 2/59) by two wickets.
