Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has praised the efforts of Team India after hosts clinched ODI series by 2-1against the mighty Australian side led by Aaron Finch.
In the recently-concluded three-match home ODI series, India suffered a humiliating defeat against Australia in the first ODI of this series at Mumbai. Back then, Australian openers comfortably chased down the target of 256 runs target as David Warner and Aaron Finch, went on to slam a century each.
However, the hosts strongly made a comeback in this series by winning the second ODI at Rajkot by 36 runs. After scoring 340 runs in the first innings, the hosts bowled out the visitors for 304 runs.
On Sunday (19th January), they played the third and final ODI of this series at Bengaluru. While the hosts restricted the visitors at 286 for nine (50 overs), they chased down the target easily in 47.3 overs after losing just three wickets.
Nobody can say we played an inferior Australia side – Ravi Shastri
After this victory, the Indian head coach Shastri had lauded his boys for the consistent show. Apart from pointing out the strength of the Australian side, Shastri also added that they lost tosses in all the three games.
Shastri told in a post-match interview, “Now nobody can say we played an inferior Australia side. This team, the boys showed great character. Nobody can say we played an inferior Australia side. They got a thrashing in Mumbai, and then to win two games, with all the travel, and with Australia winning all three tosses.”
In the death overs during Bengaluru ODI, Indian bowlers were very disciplined, especially the right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami. Shami (4/63) bagged four wickets in that innings as he also delivered some spectacular yorkers.
Later, the limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma and captain Virat Kohli played the crucial role to chase the challenging target comfortably. While the Player of the Match award winner Rohit scored 119 runs off 128 balls (8 fours and 6 sixes), Kohli scored 89 runs off 91 balls (8 fours). Shreyas Iyer, who was recently struggling, also managed to play a confident innings with the bat (44 not out off 35 balls).
Praising all of them, Ravi Shastri added, “Virat and Rohit batted well, and Shreyas will get a lot of confidence from this innings. If sides are looking to take us apart in the last 10 overs, then we have a lot of variety. The game might be 130 years old, but that [the yorker] is still the best ball in the world.”
Meanwhile, the youngster Iyer has also agreed that the present Australian bowling line-up was the best bowling line-up he has faced till date.