AUS VS IND ODI

Right then, that's all from this game. The action in the 2023 ODI World Cup continues on Monday, October 9th, when New Zealand will take on the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The first ball will be bowled at 2.00 pm IST (8.30 am GMT), but our build-up will begin much sooner. Until then, take care and goodbye!

The victorious skipper of India, Rohit Sharma says that it is an exciting feeling to come out on top. Adds that this was a great game for them and especially the bowling and fielding was magnificent. Tells that they knew that there would be some help for everyone as the seamers got it to reverse and spinners bowled in the right areas. Mentions it was a great effort from them but he admits he was nervous when the score was 2-3, and you don't want to start like that while chasing these kinds of targets. Credits Australia for putting them under pressure but there were some loose shots as well. Praises Virat Kohli and KL Rahul for the way they stuck in and built that match-winning partnership. Says that they will find different pitches and will choose combinations depending on situations and everyone knows that they need to be prepared. Acknowledges the crowd and says that Chennai never disappoints and to support us throughout in this type of heat says a lot.

Australia's skipper Pat Cummins says that they were at least 50 runs short. Mentions that it was tough trying to defend 200. Feels that India's bowling attack was one of the challenges and facing spinners was tough. Reckons that it was a wicket where it was important to get yourself in. On the dropped catch of Kohli, he says it was not ideal to drop a batter of his calibre. Adds 10 for 4 would have been a dream start but wasn't to be. On Josh Hazlewood, he says that he always poses questions with the ball. Shares that they will have a review of this game but will not dwell too much on that. Ends by saying that he has no regrets about the toss.

KL Rahul is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fantastic knock of 97 runs from 115 balls. He says that there wasn't much of a conversation with Kohli when they were three down. Adds that he just had a shower and thought had more time but it wasn't the case. Tells that Kohli said there is some help on the wicket and they need to play proper shots and think like they are playing Test cricket for a little while. Mentions that the pitch more or less remained the same for most parts but dew played a part in the end. Says that there was help for the pacers at the start and then the spinners came in. Further adds it was a good cricket wicket and a bit too-paced as well but you expect that in these parts of the country. On the winning shot, he says that he hit it too well as he calculated that the only way he could get to a hundred was by hitting a four and then try to hit a six but it doesn't matter, and hopes he will get that at some point in the tournament.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Pat Cummins called it right and opted to put runs on the board. They were dealt an early blow as Jasprit Bumrah nipped out Mitchell Marsh in the third over. David Warner and Steven Smith then got together and settled the nerves in the dressing room. Although the innings was meandering along, both batters showed good application to hang in there. However, Warner ran out of patience, nine runs short of fifty, which opened the floodgates for India. Australia needed the set Smith to take the innings forward, but he was done by an absolute snorter from Ravindra Jadeja. Smith's departure triggered a collapse, and in no time, they were reduced to 140–7. Thanks to contributions from Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc lower down the order, Australia limped their way to 199. For India, all six bowlers used had at least a wicket to their name, but Ravindra Jadeja stole the show with figures of 3 for 28, including 2 maidens.

With not a big total to defend, Australia needed early wickets to stand any chance in the game. As has so often done, Mitchell Starc provided Australia with an early breakthrough by luring Ishan Kishan into a loose shot. From the other end, Josh Hazlewood went bang, bang in an over to put India in early trouble. It would have been an even better start for Australia had Mitchell Marsh managed to hang on to the catch of Virat Kohli when he was on 12. It proved to be a massive moment in the game as Australia slowly began to lose their grip on the game. In the middle phase, neither Adam Zampa nor Glenn Maxwell were able to replicate the damage the Indian counterparts did, which meant that they were not able to mount the pressure on Indian batters. It was all India post that as KL Rahul and Virat Kohli put on an absolute clinic and handed the Aussies a tough defeat.

Having done well to keep Australia under 200, India went into the innings break as the happier of the two sides. In their pursuit of a modest total, they were rocked early, as a rash shot from Ishan Kishan in the first over led to his downfall. Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer departed for a duck as well, and India's score read 2-3. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then got together and weathered the storm for the Men in Blue. Kohli was shaky at the start and even got a life early on, but Rahul was as solid as ever. As the innings progressed, the two batters began to put the pressure back on the Aussie bowlers and, by doing so, wrestled back the initiative for India. What was most pleasing to see during the 165-run stand was the way Kohli and Rahul rotated the strike by milking ones and twos all around the park. Kohli departed on 85 but KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 97 and saw India home alongside Hardik Pandya.

India are up and running in the World Cup with an emphatic victory! After the initial stutter, a chase masterclass by Virat Kohli and KL Rahul has taken the Men in Blue over the line in their campaign opener. As far as Australia are concerned, they had their tails up after picking three early wickets but the Kohli-Rahul show proved too good for them. With this defeat, Australia's streak of winning opening encounters in ODI World Cups comes to an end.

SIX! DONE AND DUSTED! KL Rahul finishes things off in style! Pat Cummins serves this full and around off, KL Rahul goes inside out and times his chip shot so well that it sails over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie. He wanted to hit a boundary to have a shot at his hundred but remains unbeaten on 97. INDIA WIN BY 6 WICKETS!

Back of a length and on middle, KL Rahul stabs it straight to short covers.

Short again, on middle, KL Rahul forces it towards long on for one. India one big hit away from the win now!

Quicker, short and on off, KL Rahul bunts it towards short covers.

Short and around off, Hardik Pandya punches it through covers for a single.

Fires in a low full toss, on middle, KL Rahul drills it down the pitch where Glenn Maxwell manages to get a hand as the ball parries towards long off. They cross.

FOUR! A boundary now! This is floated, full and on off, KL Rahul stays in his crease and smears it towards the long off fence for four more runs.

SIX! There comes the big hit from KL Rahul now! Glenn Maxwell tosses it up, full and outside off, KL Rahul puts the dancing shoes on and swings through the line. Thumps it well over long off for a maximum.