IND VS AUS: Steve Smith Credits Australian Tailenders for the Win in the Third ODI

Australia defeated India by 21 runs in the third and penultimate ODI of the three-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, March 22. Following a memorable series win, stand-in ODI skipper Steve Smith was all praise for the Australian tailenders for their valuable contributions in propelling the team to a competitive total, which in the end proved to be a match-winning one.

Opting to bat first in the scorching heat of Chennai, Australia started the innings well with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head taking Australia past 60 in the first Powerplay. Hardik Pandya brought India back in the hunt by removing one-half of the Australian openers. He broke the crucial partnership between them after the Powerplay ended. Then he got the all-important wicket of Smith, who got out without opening his account.

Pandya dismissed Head and Smith in back-to-back overs before removing the dangerous-looking Marsh. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel controlled the game in the middle overs to reduce Australia to 203/7. Sean Abbott (26), Ashton Agar (17), Mitchell Starc (10), and Adam Zampa (10*) then steered the Aussies to 269 in 49 overs, giving India a tough total of 270 to chase on a tricky surface.

Smith Acknowledges the Effort of the Tailenders

Acknowledging the efforts of the tailenders, skipper Smith said that lower-order batter played a key role in taking the team close to 270. He admitted that the visitors were not even getting to 220 after the wicket of Alex Carey in 39th over.

“It has been an enjoyable tour. The way we fought back after that (Delhi) Test match. It is just playing conditions for us. This wicket was different… I thought we left a few out there. It was just a really good performance. We continued taking wickets throughout… The way the tail stuck around and got us to 270; at one point, we weren’t getting to 220,” Steve Smith said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Indeed, those last few runs which the Indian bowlers gave at the end proved to be the difference between the two teams. However, one can’t discount the effort of the Australian bowlers and Smith’s tactical brilliance while defending a total against a strong and long batting line-up of team India. Australia deserved to win the series. They bounced back emphatically to hand India a defeat in the second ODI. In the decider, their players held their nerves to stop India’s unbeaten winning run of seven consecutive ODI series at home.