INDORE, SEPTEMBER 25
Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer hit attacking hundreds as India beat Australia by 99 runs under the DLS method in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series on Sunday.
Gill scored 104 runs off 97 balls, while Iyer marked a return to form with 105 off 90.
Put into bat, India scored 399-5 in 50 overs - its highest-ever ODI total against Australia. It was also the fourth-highest ODI score by any team against Australia.
Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with 72 not out off only 37 balls with six sixes.
An unexpected rain shower reduced Australia's innings to 33 overs, but it fell short of the revised target of 317 runs.
David Warner scored his second consecutive half-century of the series as Australia was out for 217 in 28.2 overs with spinner Ravichandran Ashwin taking 3-41 in seven overs. Steve Smith was out for a golden duck.
Earlier, India lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad for only eight runs on a batting-friendly wicket.
Gill and Iyer then used the conditions to full effect, adding 200 runs for the second wicket in 27 overs. The pair smacked 17 fours and seven sixes between them.
Returning from an injury layoff, Iyer raced to his third ODI hundred off 86 balls. At the other end, Gill notched his sixth ODI hundred off 92 deliveries.
It was also Gill's fifth ODI hundred in 2023.
"The pain and niggles kept on coming, but I knew what I was aiming for ... I wanted to get set and score. I am ready to bat anywhere for the team (in the upcoming World Cup)," said Iyer, after winning the player of the match award.
Shortly after reaching his ton, Iyer was caught off Sean Abbott, whose 10 overs returned 1-91. Gill was caught off Cameron Green.
Green endured a torrid day with the ball. His spell of 2-103 in 10 overs was the third most expensive for Australia in one-day internationals.
Stand-in skipper Lokesh Rahul scored 52 off 38. He added a rapid 59 with Ishan Kishan (18-ball 31), and then another 53 off 34 balls with Yadav.
Yadav reached 50 off 24 balls to entertain the Sunday crowd at the Holkar Stadium. Green suffered the most, getting smacked for 26 runs in an over as India finished just short of 400.
In reply, Australia made a poor start as Prasidh Krishna (2-56) picked up two wickets in the second over. Matthew Short (9) was caught at third man before Smith was caught at slip off his first ball.
From 9-2, Warner and Marnus Labuschagne (27) stabilized the innings before rain intervened. Nearly an hour of play was lost and the match was reduced to 33 overs.
Australia's revised target was a tall-ask still as Ashwin ran through the innings. He bowled Labuschagne, then trapped Warner lbw and later dismissed Josh Inglis (6).
Ashwin's three-wicket burst came across seven deliveries and went a long way to make his case for a late entry to India's World Cup squad with the tournament starting Oct. 5. Warner scored 53 off 39 balls, including seven fours and a six.
Ravindra Jadeja took 3-42. He bowled Alex Carey (14) and Adam Zampa (5) before India's victory charge was delayed.
Sean Abbott smacked 54 off 36, his first ODI half-century, and put up 77 runs off 44 balls with Josh Hazlewood (23) for the ninth wicket.
Abbott hit four fours and five sixes to reduce the scale of defeat for Australia.
"Credit to India, they batted beautifully. It was a good wicket but changed a little bit (after the rain). 400 was always going to be a big challenge on that," stand-in skipper Smith said. "We were a fair way off. We have lost a few games in a row now but World Cups are about peaking at the right time."
It was Australia's fifth straight ODI defeat. India won the first ODI in Mohali by five wickets.
The third ODI will be played in Rajkot on Wednesday.
