India clinched their first-ever Test series win in Australia and the Virat Kohli-led side is brimming with confidence. The Men in Blue will look to carry on their Test series win momentum when the two sides head into the three-match ODI series, beginning at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday.
Though India’s performance on Australian soil has not been so good in the past, the Men in Blue hold a great chance to win this ODI series considering their performance in the tour so far.
After being dropped for the fourth Test against India at the SCG, Aaron Finch has been recalled to lead the Australian side once again considering his good run in the one-day format of the game.
The hosts will be further bolstered by the return of Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey following their impressive show at the Big Bash League (BBL).
India, on the other hand, will rely on their top three players in the batting line up–Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. The spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav will be tasked with putting the breaks in the middle overs as India look to register their maiden ODI series win Down Under ahead of the 2019 World Cup.
Talking about the records, India have a poor record in ODIs against Australia just like in the Tests, having emerged victorious in only 11 out of 48 ODIs they have played since touring the country for limited overs cricket in 1980.
However, India have recorded some of their greatest success stories in ODIs in Australia. Let us have a look at some of the records broken by India on Australian soil.
# Swashbuckling opener Rohit Sharma holds the record of most number of runs amassed by an Indian player in Australia. The 31-year-old has notched up a total of 806 runs in 16 ODIs he has played so far Down Under, including scoring three hundreds and two half-centuries. Rohit smashed a record knock of 171 runs, which is the highest individual score by an Indian in Australia in the opening ODI of the five-match series in Perth in 2016. He also blasted blistering knocks of 124 and 99 during that series before India eventually went down 1-4 against the Australians.
# Bowler Irfan Pathan’s name still comes to the front when we talk about the records broken by the Indian players in Australia. Pathan holds the record of highest wickets taken by an Indian Down Under. He has grabbed a total of 22 wickets in 14 matches he played for India in Australia.
# Former cricketer and current Indian coach Ravi Shastri bagged the title of ‘Champions of Champions’ in Australia. Shastri was voted for the same when he smashed 182 runs and grabbed eight wickets during the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985. He also won an Audi car for being awarded ‘Man of the Series’ during that championship.
# Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni currently holds the record of most number of dismissals on Australian soil as well as most number of removals in a single ODI match Down Under. He has 25 dismissals (21 catches and four stumpings) to his name in 18 ODIs he played in Australia while also having a record of four catches and one stumping during an ODI in Melbourne in February 2008.
# India’s highest-ever partnership in Australia came when veteran Yuvraj Singh and former cricketer VVS Laxman stitched a huge partnership of 214 runs for the fourth wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on January 22, 2004.
# Ajit Agarkar finished with a brilliant figures of six for 42 runs in an ODI match against Australia Down Under during a tri-series in 2004, which also featured Zimbabwe. Though India had lost that match by 18 runs, the figures by Agarkar still remains the best by an Indian bowler in Australia till date.
It will now be interesting to see if India manage to break these record or add more to their account during the upcoming 2019 ODI series against Australia.
Source: Zee News