Australia have emerged victorious in their series against India, securing a 2-1 win and reclaiming the top spot in the one-day cricket rankings. With this triumph, Australia heads into the upcoming World Cup in the subcontinent with renewed confidence. Not long ago, Australian white ball cricket faced uncertainty, as Aaron Finch relinquished his role as one-day captain and the Twenty20 team failed to reach the World Cup semi-finals on home turf.
However, Australia’s ability to quickly regroup and dominate was evident once again in their series against India. They sealed the victory with a 21-run triumph in Chennai under the leadership of stand-in captain Steve Smith. This marks India’s first defeat in an ODI series on their home soil since Australia’s victory four years ago.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh spoke about the team’s focus on winning games for Australia, rather than looking too far ahead in World Cup years. He expressed pride in their efforts to defeat the number one team in the world on their home ground, considering it a significant accomplishment and the first step towards the World Cup.
The 13th edition of the World Cup will be hosted by India in October-November. Despite missing regular captain Pat Cummins, who was mourning a loss, and veteran opener David Warner, who was absent for the first two matches, Australia managed to compensate for their absence. Mitchell Starc played a pivotal role in demolishing India, claiming a five-wicket haul in the second match. Meanwhile, Marsh, awarded the Man of the Series, excelled in opening the batting alongside Travis Head, replacing Warner. He scored 194 runs with an average of 97.00.
Adam Zampa, who secured a four-wicket haul, was named the Man of the Match. The selectors were also encouraged by Ashton Agar’s performance in Chennai, where he turned the game around by dismissing Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav on consecutive deliveries. Marsh acknowledged that Agar had experienced a somewhat inconsistent period in recent weeks but praised his resilience and ability to perform whenever he represented Australia, highlighting his close friendship with Agar.
Overall, Australia’s thrilling victory against India elevates them to the number one ranked ODI team and instills confidence as they gear up for the World Cup.
