India won the first ODI against Australia comfortably as the men-in-blue registered a 26 run victory in the rain-curtailed match at M Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Team India has done a fantastic job restricting the opposition on reaching the targeted score 168.
Amidst the least expectations on the score as the opening batsmen deliberately left the team in chaos, it was Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni and Bhuvaneshwar who rode Indian team to score 281 runs after losing 5 wickets for 87 runs. The crowd at the stadium went berserk as it is Dhoni’s first ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, after a gap of two years.
Fans expressed their delight at Dhoni walking down to bat even though the score was hardly in India’s favor. MS Dhoni had earned a tag of being ‘Captain Cool’ when he was the skipper of the Indian cricket team. It is his unique quality that he doesn’t let emotions over-ride his senses. He is known for keeping calm even at critical points during a match.
Dhoni survived a dangerous run-out scare in a bid to take a single as he was left stranded mid-pitch by fellow teammate Kedar Jadhav. While Dhoni called for a single, Jadhav left him stranded mid-pitch. The unexpected turn of events left Dhoni furious as he glanced at Jadhav with anger and disappointment.
It was in the 22nd over of their innings. Marcus Stoinis was bowling his fourth. First ball, length delivery, and the pacer swung it in as Dhoni tapped the ball towards cover and took off for a single. Jadhav, least interested for a run between the wicket, left Dhoni stranded in the middle of the pitch.
Meanwhile, Hilton Cartwright clutched onto the ball and had ample time to get the veteran off the pitch, but failed to castle down the stumps as the ball zipped past the stumps and Dhoni was given a lifeline.
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You rarely get to witness such a scene.
Pandya’s 83 and Dhoni’s 79 are the at-most scores that added some enormous runs to the Indian team. Some unexpected, yet ace runs were delivered by bowler Bhuvaneshwar, whose recent best-scores are penning him as another fine all-rounder for the Indian team.
However, though batsmen did their best to manage the match to stay within the hands, it is bowlers who restricted the rivals from clinching the match by bagging 168 runs (score adjusted to 168/21 overs acc. to DLS method).
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