India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI: Virat Kohli Equals MS Dhoni’s Record While Rohit Sharma Made A New One

India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI was all about the emergence of Hardik Pandya as the perfect all-rounder that the hosts were looking for since the last couple of years and after Rohit Sharma (71), as well as Ajinkya Rahane (70), gave India the much needed steady start, Pandya’s 78 and Manish Pandey’s 36 were enough for the Men In Blue to win the third ODI by 5 wickets while also registering a 3-0 series lead and finally becoming the No. 1 ODI side in ICC rankings.

As for the Australian innings, it can be divided into two halves where the top 3 batsmen Warner (42), Finch (124) and Smith (63) dominated the field in the first half and then the lineup stumbled while adding just 50 runs to the board. At one stage 350+ seemed a reasonable total but it was soon turned into an impossible dream as the Aussies finished at 293 seven short of 300.

Still, 293 runs meant that the visitors had something in their bank and if Rohit Sharma failed once again the game would go south for the hosts but the opener was in some mood and ended up becoming the devil of Australia’s nightmares.

While Forging a solid 139-run opening partnership with the ever-reliable Ajinkya Rahane, who scored his 2nd consecutive half-century of the series, he struck four maximums against the visitors and became the batsman with a record highest number of sixes against Australia.

As far as the result of India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI is concerned, Virat Kohli equaled MS Dhoni’s record of consecutive wins in ODIs while the former skipper too had its own share of personal records to boast of.

Here are some of the statistical highlights from India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI.

• Rohit Sharma now has 65 sixes against Australia the most by a batsman against the Aussies in international cricket while Brendon McCullum (61) and Sachin Tendulkar (60) complete the top three.

• Rohit Sharma’s 42-ball fifty was his fastest in ODIs, beating his own 43-ball effort, last month, against Sri Lanka.

• Steve Smith and Aaron Finch are now the second pair to register century partnerships in three successive matches against India. Previously, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden held the record for their 2003 appearances against India.

• India have now won six consecutive bilateral ODI series for the third time and while the first two instances were recorded under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni, the third and recent one has seen both Kohli as well as Dhoni captaining the side.

• This was the 4th consecutive ODI win against Australia for India and if the hosts repeat their endeavors in Bangalore, it will be the first time that India would have won five straight ODIs against Australia.

• The 5-wicket victory in the India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI was the Men In Blue’s sixth-consecutive bilateral ODI series win.

• India remains unbeaten at Indore as in the six matches played, the side has won five ODIs as well as a solitary Test.

• This was India’s 9 consecutive ODI victory, which equals their longest winning streak that came under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, from 14th November 2008 to 5th February 2009. This time it came with Virat Kohli being the skipper.

• Virat Kohli is the second-fastest captain to win 30 ODIs as he achieved the feat in just 38 matches. Only Ricky Ponting has a better record with 37 matches.

• India vs Australia 2017, 3rd ODI defeat was the visitor’s 11th consecutive defeat in away ODIs.

• MS Dhoni is now the only third keeper to have 750 dismissals on his name in international cricket. Adam Gilchrist and Mark Boucher are the other two with more dismissals.

• MS Dhoni also made Glenn Maxwell his 100th dismissal for India in One Day Internationals.

With two more games to go in the India vs Australia 2017 series, the visitors will be looking to save themselves from a complete whitewash while Virat Kohli will be looking to add another feather to his cap by winning the 4th ODI and registering 5 consecutive victories over Australia for the first time in this format.