Bangalore: Rohit Sharma smashed his way into the record books with a stunning 209 as the Indian cricket team provided the perfect gift to the nation with a 57-run victory in the the series-deciding final ODI against Australia to clinch the series 3-2 here on Saturday night.
The 26-year-old Sharma gave a breathtaking display to power India to an imposing 383 for six before the hosts bowled out Australia for 326 in 45.1 overs.
The immensely talented Sharma thus became only the third batsman in the history of ODI cricket after Virender Sehwag (219) and Sachin Tendulkar (200 no) to reach the coveted double ton.
Chasing a mammoth total, Australia made a spirited effort with all-rounder James Faulkner blasting a 73-ball 116, the fastest century by an Australian in ODIs.
While Faulkner hit 11 fours and six over-boundaries, Glenn Maxwell pulverized the Indian bowlers on his way to a 22-ball 60 that contained seven sixes.
Staring at a heavy defeat at 138 for six, Faulkner played a blinder as Australia made a dramatic recovery to give their chase respectability.
He was involved in a record ninth wicket stand of 115 runs with Clint McKay.
Earlier, enroute his 158-ball-209, Rohit created a world record by hitting as many as 16 sixes along with 12 fours.
His effort bettered Shane Watson’s previous best of 15 maximums against Bangladesh.
Skipper MS Dhoni (62) and Shikhar Dhawan (60) scored brisk half-centuries.
This was also the highest individual ODI score by any batsman against Australia in ODIs as well as being India’s highest team total against the visitors. The last five overs produced an unbelievable 101 runs.
This is the first instance when India have won a seven-match ODI series against the Aussies.
While Rohit scored his first 100 off 114 balls, the next hundred came off only 42 deliveries.
All the sixes were clean straight hits in the arc between deep extra-cover and deep mid-wicket.
There was minimum muscle and maximum timing in each and every six that he hit.
Put into bat by the Australian skipper George Bailey, the home team rode on Rohit’s brilliant batting display which was complemented by his opening partner Dhawan (60) and Dhoni who batted in his customary style, smacking a 38-ball-62 with seven fours and two sixes.
Rohit and Dhoni added a staggering 167 runs for the fifth wicket in only 15.4 overs at an average of 10.65 while the opening partnership again proved to be productive yielding 112 runs.
The men who missed out included Virat Kohli (0)and the two horribly out-of-form players Yuvraj Singh (12) and Suresh Raina (28).
While another in-form batsman Kohli was run-out for duck without scoring and looked angry, the Delhi star was the most vocal in his applause when Rohit reached his individual milestones.
“We have to improve in bowling, something we wanted to do on a team level also. We have chased 350-plus twice but nobody talks about Australia’s bowling line-up. But we need to improve our death bowling,” Dhoni said after the match.
“There was a moment when we were under pressure after losing 2-3 quick wickets. It became a little difficult and we wanted to score 300 and explode from there. 383 wasn’t on our mind but Rohit batted very well.”
Talking about India’s willow-wielders, the Indian skipper said, “Our batting has been fantastic, openers have done very well but it would have been good if middle order got a few more runs. Apart form the one game, we scored in each and every game.
Dhoni also praised the crowd that had turned up in large numbers in all the seven venues.
“It has been a fantastic series overall, Australia played very well and the wickets were good. Not all the venues were in metros but the amount of crowd that came was fantastic.”
Man of the Match and Series, Sharma said he was not aware that he had broken the record of maximum sixes with 16 hits.
“I didn’t know about the 16 sixes record but I am glad to have done that. I didn’t really think of the 200 initially.”
Australian captain George Bailey felt his team lost too many wickets early in the innings.
“We went pretty close there but outstanding innings from Rohit. We were probably ahead at one point of time but didn’t have enough wickets.
“(James) Faulkner and (Glenn) Maxwell played excellent cameos. We knew it would be tough they are the No. 1 and it’s been a wonderful series.
He said there had been some positives in the defeat.
“There have been a plenty of positives, the one-day cricket we were playing 18 months wasn’t great and we are on track now,” Bailey said. (PTI)
