Virat Kohli criticizes Indian fielding after losing 4th ODI: The Indian captain didn’t sound very happy after a sloppy performance.
During the fourth ODI of the ongoing Australia’s tour of India at Mohali, Australia thrashed India by four wickets to level the series 2-2. The result now calls for a riveting series-decider fifth ODI to be played on Wednesday at Delhi.
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Having posted a 359-run target, the hosts were expected to restrict the opposition. With them not being able to do the same despite playing a couple of wrist-spinners depicts how well Australia batted under pressure.
Despite India’s new-ball bowlers made early inroads into the Australian batting line-up, it was a 192-run partnership for the third between Usman Khawaja (91) and Peter Handscomb which changed the course of the match. Top-scoring for his team, the latter ended up scoring his maiden ODI century, 117 (105), with the help of eight fours and three sixes.
Having said that, it was Ashton Turner who turned the match for the visitors. Coming in to bat at No. 6, the right-hand batsman remained unbeaten till the end to seal the chase. With him tearing apart the Indian bowling line-up, it must have come as a respite for his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals.
The 26-year old right-hand batsman ended up scoring 84* (43) with the help of five fours and six sixes as Australia won the match in the 48th over.
“Ashton was the game-changer”
Speaking during the post-match presentation, India captain Virat Kohli claimed Turner’s knock to be a “game-changer”. While he admitted that bowling was difficult in the end, he also brought the dew affecting India’s chances towards the end.
“The wicket remained good throughout the game. It was very difficult to bowl in the end, Asthon’s innings was the game-changer. Last game, we were told there would be dew and we were at the wrong end. It became too wet to bowl, it was very difficult to bowl in the right areas. They played better cricket, they deserved to win,” Kohli was quoted as saying.
The Indian skipper was criticized with how he continually bowled with Kedar Jadhav and Vijay Shankar and let Khawaja and Handscomb find their rhythm in the middle. “We had to get the fifth bowler out of the way, so we wanted to get done with it first,” Kohli unveiled the reason behind his ploy.
“We were sloppy in the field”
During the business end of the match, wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, Jadhav and Shikhar Dhawan erred on the field as India frequently missed chances in the middle. Talking about India’s sloppy fielding towards the end, Kohli believed the team should have grabbed those chances. Having let-down one and all tonight, Kohli anticipated the last match to be a ‘cracker’.
“We were sloppy in the field and should’ve grabbed our chances. The opportunities slipped away and so was the game. It’s going to be cracker of a game, we’ve had two eye-openers in two games. We have to work hard and we got to come up with more intensity and passion in the next game,” Kohli concluded.
How Twitter reacted:
Australia win!!! What a great ODI series!
It’s 2-2 and you can’t watch the last ODI on @StarSportsIndia
🇦🇺👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) March 10, 2019
India’s bowing flopped after a long time, rhe fielding went to pieces towards the end, Pant missed out on oppoetunity to make big impact
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 10, 2019
The belief with which Ashton Turner’s played here is unbelievable.. Second match of his career, daunting chase, but he’s made it look like a walk in the park .. There’s dew yes, dropped catches, yes but don’t take anything away from him .. #IndvAus
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) March 10, 2019
Ashton Turner … pretty sure someone said he should be in the team during the #BigBash !!!! #INDvAUS #JustSaying … Now getting very concerned the Aussies are starting to get something going at the right time !!!! #CWC19
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 10, 2019
2-2 🇦🇺🇮🇳🏏 bring on WEDNESDAY!
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 10, 2019
Outstanding run chase by Australia. Handscomb was brilliant and Turner really turned things around in a display of some of the cleanest hitting. India would like to forget this, learn from their mistakes and give it their best in the decider in Delhi #IndvAus
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 10, 2019
Incredible this from Australia. Made a mockery of a chase of 359. Handscomb, Khawaja & now Ashton Turner. That too against India’s strongest bowling attack this series. Add Smith, Warner, Starc to this. Been saying for a while they can’t be taken lightly for the WC. #INDvAUS
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) March 10, 2019
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