CHENNAI: Chasing a target of 270, India lost to Australia by 21 runs at 248 in 49.1 overs. The visitors clinched the series 2-1 at Chennai today. Despite losing the series opener in Mumbai, Australia bounced back to win the last two ODIs in Visakhapatnam and Chennai to complete the ODI series win
At 49.1 overs, Kuldeep Yadav was pushed out by Marcus Stoinis. India lost 3 wickets including that of Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav out for his 3rd successive golden duck.
Australia skipper Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat against India.
Earlier, Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya took three wickets each as Australia were bowled out for 269 in the third ODI encounter in Chennai. Axar also scalped the wicket of Marcus Stoinis while Hardik was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking three wickets in quick succession to halt Australia’s charge. Mitchell Marsh was the top-scorer for the visitors with 47.
Despite a fifty from Virat Kohli and a brisk 40 from Hardik Pandya, India managed fell short of the target by 21 runs. Adam Zampa was brilliant with the ball on a typical spin-friendly MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch, picking up 4 wickets in his 10-over spell. Spinners Zampa and Ashton Agar gave away just 86 runs and picked up 6 wickets between them, proving to be the difference between the two sides.
This is the first time India lost the ODI series at home since March 2019. India lost an ODI series to Bangladesh in December 2022 but they bounced back, clean-sweeping Sri Lanka and New Zealand at home in 3-match series at home.