Australia vs India, 3rd T20I: Kohli, Karthik win it for India

India win by 6 wickets

Superb partnership between Kohli and Karthik wins it for India. It showed the value of experience. They kept their heads even when the pressure was piling up. Kohli, who hasn’t looked at his best so far, led the way with a mature knock. He stayed in the middle and made sure India would go into the Test series on an even footing. He made an unbeaten 61 off 41 balls. But the win didn’t come without hiccups and Karthik once again showed that he is India’s finest finisher in the limited overs format.

India have never lost the third match of a bilateral T20I series: 10-0 win-loss record. And they have never lost a T20I while chasing when Karthik has remained unbeaten.

After 15 overs, India 113/4

Kohli and Karthik in the middle now and India will hope, they can finish the match for them. Krunal can bat but the pressure is going to be huge.

WICKET! Tye’s slower knuckle-ball bouncer down the leg-side gets Pant for a duck. The batsman realised he was late on the shot but decided to go through with it anyway. Just helped it along to the keeper. India 108/4.

WICKET! Maxwell had bowled two overs for 6 runs and KL Rahul decided that it can’t continue that way. He went for the big shot, didn’t connect as he wanted to and holed out in the deep. India 108/3.

After 10 overs, India 92/2

Period of consolidation for India after they lost two wickets – both the openers in quick succession. Interesting session – India trying to keep wickets in hand, Australia trying to snare one more.

BOWLED! Zampa’s quicker one goes through Rohit’s defence. Ind 67-2.

WICKET! Starc strikes to send back Dhawan. The review did the trick after the umpire initially gave it not out. Dhawan got 41 off just 22. India 67/1. Starc has looked a cut above the other pacemen we have seen today.

After 5 overs, India 62/0

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma showing just what they are the most feared opening pair in the limited overs format. They know their game, they understand the format and they are in form. After 3 overs, India were 20/0. The batsmen weathered a good two overs from Starc and then exploded to smash 42 runs off the 4th and 5th over. Coulter-Nile was first taken to the cleaners and then Stoinis, who was surprisingly introduced into the attack, got the treatment as well.

After 20 overs, Australia 164/6

India needed 165 to win at 8.25 RPO.

Competitive total: After the start that Australia got, they would have expected to get a bigger total on board but that mini-collapse in the middle seemed to knock the wind out of their sails. But they have recovered well – thanks to Stoinis and Coulter-Nile – to post a competitive total. Wickets will be the key for India.

Run-out! Just when Chris Lynn was starting to look dangerous, Bumrah managed to make the most of a mix-up and throw the stumps down off his own bowling.

What a spell! Krunal Pandya finished his spell with figures of 4/36 - the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler in T20I cricket in Australia. They are also the best figures by a spinner on Australian soil in T20Is.

WICKET! Carey’s cameo (27 off19) comes to an end. Aus 119-5. Another wicket for Krunal – his fourth. This was a vital innings for

After 15 overs, Australia 107/4

WICKET! Aus 90-4. Maxwell doesn’t liked being tied down but with Australia losing quick wickets, he had no option but to buckle down and stay there for as long as possible. Turns out that wasn’t for too long. He finally lost patience and tried to smash Krunal out of the park, holed out to Rohit in the deep. Another wicket for Krunal. They held Chris Lynn back because of spinners and it will be interesting to see what he can do in the slog overs.

After 10 overs, Australia 76/3

WICKET! Aus 73-3. Two wickets in two balls. McDermott walking back with a duck for company. Attempted sweep across the line connected with nothing but air. Three LBW decisions by the umpires in three balls. Australia lost the plot here.

WICKET! The review does that save Short (33). Krunal gets his first wicket, traps the batsman LBW. Aus 73-2.

Review works: DRS to Maxwell’s rescue. No one reads Kuldeep. It looked like Maxwell had been trapped LBW but he survives. Australia 73-1

WICKET! Kuldeep Yadav gets the breakthrough. Krunal does not drop it. Phew. Finch gone after making 28. Australia 68-1

DROPPED! Rohit dropped a skier, Finch (on 22) survived. It was Krunal’s first ball and the Australian skipper decided he wanted to smash it out of the park. He got the height but not the distance. Rohit got under it with time on hand and then just couldn’t hold on. India’s fielding has been poor today – numerous misfields and now a catch gone down.

After 5 overs, Australia 41/0

Perfect start for Australia after choosing to bat first. They haven’t lost wickets, scored runs at a decent rate and set a solid platform for the big hitters to come. The key on this wicket could be the spinners. Finch and Short have batted well in tandem and the Australian skipper in particular is starting to look dangerous. Australia look like they are trying to sneak in more singles today as well.

India, once again, handed Khaleel the new ball. The strategy is clearly trying to save Bumrah for the death.

Toss

Australia have won the toss and opted to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground. If the T20 series was all about bragging rights ahead of the big Test series, then India need to win this one.

Australian skipper Aaron Finch had no doubt about his decision.

“We will have a bat first. (It) looks a pretty good wicket, a bit dry and if we can put runs on the board, we are backing ourselves to defend anything,” said Finch at the toss. “One change, Starc comes in for Behrendorff. It’s exciting to have Mitchy back in the side, it’s been two years since he’s played a game and is raring to go.”

It will also be a good chance to see just how Starc has been shaping up.

India skipper Virat Kohli didn’t have a problem with Australia’s decision to bat first. India usually like chasing and this sort of plays into their hands.

“Easy-Peasy. We would have bowled first as well anyway. The last game we played here, we chased down a big score. Even at the MCG, we were able to restrict them to a decent score.Just like it to continue and force them put a score that they want to defend. It’s always lovely to play in Sydney, we get a lot of support here. Always a full house and 85% Indian fans here. Our intensity was right up there in the last game and we’re really looking forward to this one. We’re unchanged.”

The unchanged line-up means that Yuzvendra Chahal is once again being kept out of the playing XI. Does this have something to do with the fact that Krunal Pandya offers better batting skills or is this a message to Chahal... that he needs to do more.

India XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmeed, Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia XI: D’Arcy Short, Aaron Finch (c), Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.