In an intense contest, India finished their innings at 264 for 9 after being put to bat first. The innings began under challenging conditions, particularly during the powerplay, where the Australian bowlers showcased their skill, reminiscent of their performance in the first ODI. Bartlett was instrumental in claiming early wickets, sending both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli back to the pavilion in a single over. Although Josh Hazlewood delivered an exceptional bowling performance, he was left without a wicket.
The Indian captain Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer steadied the innings following the early setbacks, forming a resilient century partnership that briefly stabilized the innings. However, as the spinners were introduced, the Australians shifted back to pace, leading to Rohit’s dismissal at a critical juncture. India faced a setback when both set batters fell quickly, with Adam Zampa striking decisively and clinching four wickets, including Axar Patel and NKR in a single over.
Despite the challenging circumstances, it seemed India might crumble when they reached 226 for 8. Yet, a crucial partnership developed between Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who managed to add 37 vital runs for the ninth wicket, bolstering the total and giving India a fighting chance. With seam movement evident throughout the innings, attention now turns to whether the Indian pacers can mirror their Australian counterparts’ effectiveness as the run-chase approaches. The next half-hour will reveal whether batting conditions improve under the lights, presenting an exhilarating conclusion to this ODI clash.