On this day a decade ago, India’s superstar batting pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made stunning hundreds to lead India to one of its most memorable ODI victories against Australia.
India were assigned an implausible goal of 360 in the second ODI in a seven-match series against Australia in Jaipur. Following their defeat in the first game, the Men in Blue were staring down the barrel of a 0-2 hole until the batsmen seized over.
Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s brilliant opening partnership propelled India to 176/0 in 26 overs. Australia finally broke through, dismissing Dhawan for 95 runs to make space for Virat Kohli.
Carnage of the greatest order ensued, as the champion batter hammered a century off 52 deliveries, including eight fours and seven maximums. Rohit, on the other hand, played second fiddle, scoring a brilliant century off 102 deliveries and finally finishing on 141 off 123 balls.
The two put on an unbroken stand of 186 off 104 deliveries to propel India to a nine-wicket win in 43.3 overs.
Here’s a video of the game in which India chased 360 to tie the series at one apiece:
Virat Kohli’s 52-ball century is the quickest by an Indian batsman in an ODI, while the 360 remains the side’s most successful run chase in the 50-over format.
In one-day internationals, the pair has had significant success against Australia, averaging over 50 with a strike rate in the 90s and a combined 16 centuries.
India’s Historic Series Victory Against Australia in 2013
The 2013 series between India and Australia was a joyous occasion for both teams’ hitters. The teams treated the spectators to a show of strokeplay and huge sixes on some of India’s most tranquil surfaces.
Australia defeated the hosts by 72 runs in the first ODI before the Indians leveled the series with a 360-run chase in Jaipur. James Faulkner’s late-game heroics helped Australia pull off a last-over robbery at Mohali to take a 2-1 series lead.
With two games remaining and a pair of rain-delayed games, Team India faced a home series loss. Australia reached a mammoth 350 in the last match, only to be chased down by another Virat Kohli masterclass.
To finish the dramatic run-chase in the last over, King Kohli smashed a stunning 115 off 66 balls and with fantastic help from Shikhar Dhawan (100 off 102) and Rohit Sharma (79 off 89).
It set up an intriguing series finale at Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, where it was all Rohit Sharma’s show. The current captain hit the first of his three ODI double-centuries, scoring 209 off 158 deliveries to lead India to 383/6 in 50 overs.
A valiant Australian response fell short, as the visitors were defeated by 57 runs, falling 2-3 in one of India’s most prized bilateral series.
During the run-fest, hitters from both sides scored an incredible nine hundreds in five completed games. Rohit Sharma topped all scorers with 491 runs at an average of more than 122, while Australia was led by Geroge Bailey with 478 runs at an average of 95.60.
