Australia will look to pull another back when they take on India in the fifth and the final ODI of the series. The game, that will be played in Jamtha in Nagpur, will be played on Sunday, October 1 and you can follow the live scores from 7pm (AEDT) right here on The Roar.
Finally a win for Australia. And while it came in an inconsequential game as far as the series is concerned, it should still give Australia that confidence they have been lacking in away ODIs.
In fact, more than confidence, that victory in the Bengaluru match will come as a relief for a team that hadn’t won an away ODI for more than a year. And having been thumped by South Africa 5-0 last year, it looked like this series was headed the same direction before that win.
Batting first was an obvious advantage for Australia, something they hadn’t used up too well in the third ODI.
Even in the fourth match, an all-too-familiar middle-order collapse left Australia gasping for room but some late-order batting pyrotechnics left them with lot more on the board than they had in the previous encounter.
India fought back well through Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, and while Hardik Pandya chipped in with another decent effort, the Aussie bowlers returned well towards the last 15 overs to wrest back the initiative.
Where India lost the match was their sudden drop in intensity and the so many changes.
The first factor was the reason behind their poor fielding effort, the latter led to a drop in quality thanks to some rustiness.
When you drop three of your best bowlers of the series and replace them with three who haven’t played a game in the first three matches, the lack of edge is always lurking around the corner.
And when the captain then fiddles around with his batting order as well – champion experienced batsman MS Dhoni was sent in at seven – then the result could well go against the side.
Kohli looks like a skipper who would want to continue his experimentation but a loss in the previous game could push him to bring one of his strike bowlers back.
There’s also a case for sticking to the batting order, especially in case of a chase.
Australia look to have got the line-up they want to stick but Steven Smith and co. will do well to remember it’s been their opening batsmen who brought them back into the series.
David Warner’s century in the fourth ODI and back to back scintillating knocks from Aaron Finch should give them the confidence that Hilton Cartwright hadn’t afforded them earlier.
They will look at their openers to deliver the goods yet again.
Follow the live scores and blog of the fifth ODI between India and Australia from 6pm (AEDT) here on The Roar.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That is the end of that. India have finished this chase off as quickly as they could have on that surface. Sluggish pitch, 243 was expected to be a difficult chase and it's turned out to be a dawdle. Kedar Jadhav set it up along with Axar Patel with the ball while Kohli marshalled his troops rather well. And then Rohit Sharma came out like a man possessed after he had played out the first 14 balls without a run. A century of its kind, and along with Ajinkya Rahane, it helped India set up a comprehensive win. A word on Australia all series. Very rare to see an Australian ODI side so bereft of ideas - probably was the case last year in their 5-0 drubbing at the hands of South Africa but that's about it. What will worry Australia is they will know they cannot defend the 2019 World Cup with this side. Mitchell Starc will return, so will Josh Hazlewood but will that be enough? Batsmen needed, keeper needed & a good spinner needed. Zampa is a good spinner, I believe, but he needs some backing for sure. Last, but not the least, questions over Smith's captaincy would be rising. Is he the right man to lead Australia in ODIs?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Comprehensive as it can get for India. Win the fifth and final ODI by seven wickets with 43 balls to spare on a tough surface.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot, four. Manish Pandey has halved the target with an on-drive off Faulkner. And he finishes it off with a smashing straight drive that beats the mid-on fielder. India have won by seven wickets.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Three singles from the Zampa over as he completes his eighth over, having given away 59. India need eight from eight overs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just a single from the James Faulkner over pushes the game further. 11 from 54 needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot. Four more. Kedar Jadhav opens his account with a four off a pull to deep mid-wicket. And then gets beaten next ball. Another wicket here would have been almost bordering on the funny. 12 more needed.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Two wickets in an over as Kohli tries to hit it inside out over long-off. Hits it straighter than he would have liked and offers a simple catch to the fielder there. Both batsmen yet to face a ball.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot, four. Kohli this time. And what a poor, poor ball from Zampa. Halfway down the pitch and banged away for a four. Next ball, however, Zampa has Kohli! Whoa, two wickets in an over.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Gone! Zampa has Rohit... ...Zampa has said it in the past; a bad ball as a leg-spinner often gets him wickets and this is one such delivery. Short, long-hop but turning away. Could have been dispatched over the fence but ends up mistiming it to the deep mid-wicket fielder. End of a superb innings, 125 tough runs from 109 balls and a match-winning one. Man-of-the-match for sure, wonder if it's turned the man-of-the-series award in his favour too.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Thumped. Six. Rohit. That's a length ball, cannon fodder. Rohit swings his bat and deposits over long-on for a biggie. A single off the next three balls makes it 11 from the over. 1/223 in 39. 20 needed from 66.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
There's an appeal for a catch behind, and then for a stumping. Nothing on ultra-edge, Kohli in the crease and after a long replay, it's given not-out and Marais Erasmus calls it a wide. That's the latest wide I have seen. Incidentally, it's James Faulkner back into the attack.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Faulkner in, review unsuccessful. Now let's see Faulkner taken to the Cleaners (as usual)!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
This is going to get over quickly now. Finch concedes four singles from the first four balls and then Kohli spanks the fifth to deep mid-wicket for a four. And then a single gently dabbed behind point. 31 needed from 72.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six more! Oh boy, this is a carnage now. Century up and Rohit's decided he wants to save some time tonight. 14 from the Coulter-Nile over, including a four and a six, to make it 40 needed from 78.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Shot, four! Rohit has played another pull, more a guide off the back foot through to fine-leg and it's run away to the fence. Repeats a pull off the next and the next pull is hit squarer and for a single. 47 needed off 80.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A good over from Finch where he gets the ball to turn and bounce. Concedes just two off it too. 1/189 in 36.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Bang, six, century! Humongous six to bring up his century, Rohit Sharma. Was batting on 96 and got one that's slightly short of length. He doesn't even rock back, it's that favourite front-foot pull that goes all the way. What an innings on a difficult pitch and in sapping conditions. 1/187 in 35. India need 55.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Change in the bowling. Nathan Coulter-Nile comes back to try and eke out a wicket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Very, very innocuous brand of left-arm spin from Finch. And India waste no time in collecting six runs from it. India chug along to 1/180 in 34. Another 63 needed from 16, which means the required-rate is less than four.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Aaron Finch has been brought into the attack. Surprise move but probably taking a cue out of the Kedar Jadhav's book.