Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc scalped three batsmen as Australia bundled out India for 255 in 49.1 over after electing to bowl in the opening match of the ODI series, here on Tuesday.
India did not drop any of its three openers -- Rohit Sharma (10) Shikhar Dhawan (74) and KL Rahul (47) -- with skipper Virat Kohli (16) deciding to bat at number at four.
When Dhawan and Rahul were at the crease, India were cruising towards a big total but their dismissal in space of 10 balls affected their run-rate. They raised a 121-run partnership for the second wicket.
The hosts struggled to raise any substantial partnership after that but Kuldeep Yadav’s useful 17-run cameo help the team cross the 250-run mark.
Preview
At a time when bilateral cricket is jostling for relevance, sandwiched between the countdown to the T20 World Cup and the World Test Championship is a three-match ODI series between India and Australia, which starts at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
But, how relevant is relevance in the larger context, when the world’s best two teams square off!
Also, the fact that both teams are at full-strength is great news for aficionados and connoisseurs alike.
India captain Virat Kohli has no doubt there will be no dearth of intense action.
