India Vs Australia Third ODI - Match Report

Result: Australia won by 47 runs
Toss Won By: Australia
Man of The Match: Andrew Symonds

Australia 290/7 (50 Overs)

Andrew Symonds 89 (83) Irfan Pathan 10-0-57-2
Mathew Hayden 60 (70) Zaheer Khan 10-1-61-2
Michael Clarke 59 (71) Sreesanth 9-0-58-2

India 243 all out (47.3 overs)

Yuvraj Singh 121 (115) Bret Lee 8-1-37-3
Sachin Tendulkar 43 (71) Brad Hogg 9-0-46-3
MS Dhoni 33 (37) Michel Johnson 10-0-51-2

The Aussies are 2-0 up with 4 matches to go in the series. So is a backlash really on the cards! A complete sweep similar to what the West Indies did to India after the 83 World Cup Win. If you ask me - no, not really! Don't write off Team India yet. More on that later. Coming back to the match once again a convincing win by the Australian team. This one was not as drab as the second match at Kochi, although many would have guessed what the result was going to be when India slumped to 13 for 3 chasing 290 to win. One man stopped it from being a dull encounter - Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj Singh was a lone warrior from India and one couldn't help but wonder with a little more support from a few batsman India could have actually pulled it off. They were not that far away. India started of poorly with their run chase losing Gambhir, Uthappa and Dravid for absolutely nothing. Bret Lee and Michel Johnson were once again highly impressive with their opening spells bowling straight not giving any freebies for the batsman. Sachin Tendulkar hung around for a while and the 95 run partnership between him and Yuvraj ensured that there was still some hope. Sachin Tendulkar got out trying to make room for himself against slow left-arm of Brad Hogg only to see the ball hit the stumps. Dhoni entered with a very positive frame of mind and Yuvraj also slowly started getting in his elements. The duo put on 65 runs in 11 overs and just India looked poised to go for the final kill. 118 runs to get in 14 overs with Dhoni and Yuvraj on the field looked very much possible.

Dhoni got out at this key moment of the match and things started looking difficult for India. Ponting's captaincy working as Bret Lee got rid off the danger man. After that it was left to Rohit Sharma - India's Twenty20 find and the bowlers to support Yuvraj. But they were not up to it and wickets started falling at regular intervals. Yuvraj Singh though played a lone hand continuing his amazing Twenty20 form. But i was not enough..

Earlier winning the toss Ponting decided to bat first and Australians were off to a flier. but Gilchrist once again failed to capitalize on the start and fell to Pathan. Ponting back after a break looked a bit rusty and India actually pulled back the run-rate through Harbhajan Singh. But a late surge by Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke took the match away from India in the last 15-20 overs. Australia posted a daunting 290 a above par score for the ground. Indians were always going to need a good start to make a fight out of it and a good start what was exactly they did not get.. A comprehensive victory by the rolling Aussie juggernaut.

The series now moves on to the northern part of the country. The next match at Chandigarh - Sector 16 Stadium, which will be hosting its first ODI in 14 years. Indians just would have to win that one to make something out of this series...

Key Video Highlights of the match would be posted soon...