Indian batsmen tortured Australia – 2nd ODI

India 1-362 (Rohit Sharma 141*, Virat Kohli 100*, Shikhar Dhawan 95, James Faulkner 1-60) beat Australia 5-359 (George Bailey 92*, Phillip Hughes 83, Shane Watson 59, Vinay Kumar 2-73) by nine wickets.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli hammered centuries and toyed with the reliable Australian bowling while Shikhar Dhawan batted excellently as India won the 2^nd ODI.

The Kangaroos scored 359 runs after losing half of their side in the allocated 50 overs whereas The Blue Shirts powered 362 with nine wickets remaining and 39 balls to spare.

Rohit Sharma (India) was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his outstanding unbeaten innings of 141 off just 123 deliveries.

The second One Day International of the seven match series was played on Wednesday, October 16, 2013, at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Earlier, George Bailey, the skipper of the Aussies, won the toss and sent his batsmen in to bat first. Aaron Finch along with Phillip Hughes took off cautiously by scoring 36 runs in 9 overs with 4 fours from the first. Finch was dropped at 25 and he used the chance by scoring a fifty in the 16^th one but was run out at 50 as the score reached 74. Shane Watson walked in next, started off with a four and hit a six in the 20^th over. Hughes followed him with a big hit over the boundary line in the next over and completed his second ODI fifty six overs later. Watson was playing a fluent knock and attained his 30^th half century in the 29^th over.

The second wicket Partnership was broken at 182 in 31.6 overs when Shane Watson was gone for 59 with 3 lofty sixes and 6 fours. He was replaced by George Bailey and Phillip Hughes became the next victim for 83 off 103 with 1 six and 8 fours. Glenn Maxwell came in next and opened his account with a six while Bailey continued his attack at the other end. Maxwell got a life at 23 and his captain got his 10^th ODI fifty with two back to back fours in the 45^th over. Maxwell ran himself out for 53 off 32 deliveries and Bailey remained unbeaten for 92 off just 50 balls with 5 big sixes and 8 fours as the visitors managed 5-359 in 50 overs.

Vinay Kumar was the top wicket taker with two whereas Ravichandran Ashwin held one.

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started off confidently by scoring 43 runs after 8 overs. The latter hit three consecutive fours in the next one and Sharma got two boundaries in the 10^th over. The duo kept on cruising and went past the hundred runs mark in the 17^th over while Sharma attained his half century with another four. Dhawan hit 2 fours in the 20^th one, got his fourth ODI fifty and the crowd witnessed the rain of boundaries from the two batsmen. The solid opening association was dislodged at 176 in 26.1 overs when Shikhar Dhawan was caught behind by Brad Haddin off James Faulkner for 95 from 86 balls with 14 fours.

Virat Kohli got together with Sharma and the runs started pouring in briskly. Kohli hit 2 sixes and 1 four in the coming overs and sent the ball flying over the rope twice in the 31^st one. Sharma was going well at his side as Kohli smashed his 26^th ODI half century on the 27^th delivery he faced. The rival bowlers were unable to stop the flow of runs and Rohit Sharma thrashed his 3^rd ODI century with another four. Virat Kohli was unstoppable and blasted his 16^th ODI hundred on the 52^nd ball. Rohit Sharma hit the winning four on the third ball of the 44^th over and secured his end for 141 with 4 spicy sixes and 17 fours. Virat Kohli was at the other end with 100 off 52 mere balls comprising 7 towering sixes and 8 well timed fours as the Men in Blue piled up 362 for the loss of just one wicket. Virat Kohli thrashed the fastest ton for his country and the Blue Shirts successfully achieved a highest chase in the ODI cricket.

Indian clinched the second One Day International by a huge margin of nine wickets and levelled the seven match series at 1-1. The third game will be held on October 19, 2013, at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh.