Twitter reacts as Jadhav and Dhoni chase down Australia's total in the first ODI at Hyderabad
India for the first time lost to Australia in a T20I series in India under Virat Kohli's captaincy. While the Australian bowlers restricted India to a below-par total in the first T20I, it was Maxwell who ensured that Australian chased down both the totals with a half-century and century in the two matches.
Unlike the T20Is, a good performance from the Indian bowlers and a calibrated chase by the dynamic duo of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav ensured that India took the 1-0 lead in the ODI series.
After winning the toss, Australia opted to bat first, but it was the Indian bowlers who guided the innings. India's opening bowlers - Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah - gave the home team a good start as they conceded just 23 runs in 8 overs. In his very first over, Bumrah also got the wicket of the Australian skipper Aaron Finch before he could notch a single run.
After Finch's dismissal, his opening partner Usman Khawaja built a crucial partnership worth 87 runs with Marcus Stoinis for the second wicket. The partnership steadied the Australian innings but the departure of both settled batsmen in quick succession gave India a slight upper hand.
Indian bowlers continued to pile pressure on the visitors by picking up wickets at regular intervals. Just when Australia were struggling at 173 for 6 close to the 40 over mark, Peter Handscomb and Nathan Coulter-Nile ensured that their team got close to 240 with a half-century partnership which lasted till the penultimate delivery of their innings.
Chasing down a target of 237, India, just like Australia, did not get the right start as Shikhar Dhawan got out for a golden duck. The wicket was followed by a useful partnership of 76 runs between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
India looked to be on the driver's seat when the Indian skipper and his deputy were batting but the fall of their wickets in quick succession put the chase in the doldrums. Ambati Rayudu, who came next departed quickly too, thereby increasing the anticipation amongst the Indian fans.
With Rayudu's wicket, India were four down before crossing the 100-mark but the experience of Dhoni and Jadhav ensured that India won the match comfortably. For the fifth wicket, the Chennai Super Kings teammates added over 100 runs and ensured they stayed until the very end. The unbeaten partnership helped India win the match by 6 wickets.
Here's how Twitter reacted to India's win in the first ODI.