3rd ODI: Australia hope to claw back after Jaipur drubbing

Series against India locked at 1-1 as teams line up in Mohali today.

Shell-shocked Australia would be hoping to bounce back today after the mauling in the second One-Day International (ODI) against India in Jaipur.

The tourists were rendered helpless as the Indian batting trio of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made light work of a daunting score of 360, achieving the target in a mere 43.3 overs for the loss of just one wicket.

The third ODI is set to be played at Mohali today, and another run feast is expected as two powerful batting line-ups aim to make use of the batting-friendly conditions at the Punjab Cricket Association ground.

Australia won the first match convincingly and their batsmen were again on fire in the second tie, however the bowling attack proved cannon fodder for the Indian batting trio. Kohli was the chief destroyer, smashing the century in just 52 balls, the fastest 100 by an Indian in ODI cricket.

Australia captain George Bailey was lost for words after the Jaipur assault, with his opposite number MS Dhoni also searching for an answer to counter the batting-friendly conditions.

“There might be a little bit more life here than at the Jaipur wicket,” said Bailey, according to ESPNcricinfo. “The boundaries are a little bit bigger as well, so… I haven’t looked at the past scores or anything, so I don’t know what to expect.”

The Indian bowling spearhead Ishant Sharma came under fire in the opening two games while his fellow pacer Vinay Kumar also seemed out of place against the blazing blades of Bailey, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell in particular.

Both teams have to display grit as another packed venue awaits them with the partisan Mohali crowd, renowned for its fervor, hoping for an inspired batting performance by the Indian superstars.

Besides the trio that triumphed in Jaipur the likes of Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni himself would also be aiming to make a contribution.

The third ODI is crucial for both teams as the series is currently tied at 1-1, and a 2-1 lead after the third game would go a long way in helping the team with the advantage in the remaining games.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2013.

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