The Indian team outplayed Australia by 6 wickets in the World Cup 2023 game that took place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. India did struggle in between but then it was Virat Kohli and KL Rahul who ensured India’s victory over Australia. KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 97 runs while Virat Kohli smashed 85 runs.
Earlier, after batting first, the Australian team were restricted to just 199 runs with the Indian spinners dominating them throughout the innings. The Kangaroos suffered an early blow in the form of Mitchell Marsh’s wicket who departed against Jasprit Bumrah in the third over of the game. David Warner alongside Steve Smith did put up a fightback by adding a crucial 69-run partnership off 85 balls but then the left-hander was also sent to the pavilion by Kuldeep Yadav after scoring 41 runs. In the 28th over of the game, Smith also fell to Ravindra Jadeja and they went on to lose their next eight wickets for 89 runs.
It was left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja who dominated with the ball, taking three wickets for 28 runs with two of those coming in the same over. Kuldeep on the other hand scalped two wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin took one.
Pace bowlers Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Hardik Pandya were also among the wicket-takers. Apart from Marsh, he went on to dismiss Australia captain Pat Cummins while Siraj and Pandya took a wicket each.
In reply, the Indian team also got a nightmarish start when opener Ishan Kishan fell for a golden duck while Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer also departed for ducks, leaving India in splits at 2/3 in 2 overs. The former India skipper Virat Kohli alongside KL Rahul revived the Indian innings, stitching a 165-run partnership with Rahul for the fourth wicket. Both the batters went on to make their respective half-centuries.