5 talking points from Australia-India 2nd ODI
Rohit Sharma’s second-successive century went in vain as Australia cruised to their target with an over to spare in the second ODI of the five-match series in Brisbane.After winning the toss, India’s decision to bat looked lilke the right one at the 40th over as they had two set batsmen in Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. But once the latter departed for 124, India stumbled their way to 308/8, scoring just 75 from their last 10 overs.In response, Australia’s openers all but ensured another win, as they put on 145 for the first wicket. In the end, three batsmen scored seventies as Australia reached their target with seven wickets in hand and an over to spare.Here are the major talking points from the game.
#1 India\'s death-over dilemma
Death overs have always been India’s scourge. Earlier, it used to be with the ball, when they failed to contain the rampaging batsmen, but now it seems as though the batting has caught the curse.
After 40 overs, with the score at 233/2 and two set batsmen, one on a hundred and the other a run away from a fifty, the bare minimum India should have managed is 320. Given the current scoring rates, some might say that is being generous, but still, given the lack of firepower, that was a reasonable score to have gotten on a featherbed.
Instead, after Rohit Sharma’s wicket, India stuttered and stumbled their way to 308/8, managing a mere 75 tuns in the final 10 overs, losing six wickets in the process.
Ajinkya Rahane did his best to increase the scoring, but given he is more of an opener than a finisher, it was too much to ask of him. MS Dhoni's big-hitting seems to have deserted him and neither Manish Pandey nor Ravindra Jadeja could provide the final flourish India needed.
So should India seriously consider playing Dhoni at No.4, have a couple of big-hitters behind him? That is certainly a question the selectors will be asking themselves after the second ODI.