2nd ODI: Gill and Iyer centuries; Suryakumar and Rahul fifties propel India to mammoth 399/5 against Australia

Indore: Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer smashed sparkling centuries, while captain KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav lit up the innings with their blazing half-centuries as an absolute run-fest propelled India to a mammoth 399/5 against Australia in second ODI at Holkar Stadium on Sunday.

On a flat pitch with small ground dimensions, India’s batters feasted on a relatively inexperienced bowling attack to post their highest ODI total against Australia. Gill continued his sizzling run in the format, making 104 off 97 balls, his fifth ODI century this year, laced with six fours and four sixes.

Iyer brushed aside question marks over his form and fitness with his first ODI century of this year – 105 off 90 balls, with the help of 11 fours and three sixes. After the duo fell post sharing a 200-run partnership, Rahul ensured the momentum was continued through his 38-ball 52, his second straight fifty, hitting three fours and as many sixes.

Suryakumar delighted the Sunday crowd in the stadium with an exhibition of boundary-striking by hammering an unbeaten 72 off 37 deliveries, hitting six fours and as many sixes, including hitting four maximums on the trot off Cameron Green. He also reached his fifty in 24 balls, breaking the previous fastest ODI fifty for India against Australia record set by Virat Kohli off 27 balls in Jaipur in 2013.

Ruturaj Gaikwad got India going with a neat glance and a punchy cover drive in the opening over against debutant pacer Spencer Johnson. Josh Hazlewood was impressive in his line and length and that got him the wicket of Gaikwad, taking the outside edge off the right-hander’s bat to be caught behind by Alex Carey.

Iyer, coming at number three, found his groove by taking two boundaries off a lofted cover drive and a wristy clip against Johnson. He followed it up with a drive on-the-up against Hazlewood, taking three boundaries in his first seven balls.

He went on to smash Sean Abbott through the line and pulled past Carey off Hazlewood to take two more boundaries. Gill joined the boundary-hitting party by lofting Abbott high over long-on for six and then danced down the pitch to drive through extra cover for four, bringing the fifty of his partnership with Iyer.

With slight drizzle coming in, Gill danced down the pitch to loft over Cameron Green’s head for a boundary and pulled high over fine leg for six before rain came in strong force to interrupt the proceedings, forcing the players off the field for 25 minutes.

After that, carnage ensued as Gill stuck to his attacking strategy, dancing down the pitch easily to get his boundaries, reaching his fifty in 37 balls, lofting over Green’s head for six. Iyer would also follow his lead of attacking the bowlers and reached his fifty in 41 balls by smashing a stand-and-deliver six over long-off against Johnson.

The duo continued their boundary-hitting spree, till they slowed down in their 90s. Iyer, though, got his third ODI century in 86 balls, with the roar in delight showcasing his happiness. Iyer survived being out immediately when Sean Abbott’s attempted catch on his own bowling was grassed briefly.

Iyer couldn’t make much of the reprieve given, holing out to the deep off Abbott. Gill went on to reach his sixth ODI hundred in 92 balls, before miscuing a cross-bat shot against Green. Ishan Kishan went bang-bang from the word go, hitting two fours and as many sixes before miscuing one to keeper off Adam Zampa.

With Rahul in his assured boundary-hitting zone and eventually reaching his fifty, Suryakumar raised the tempo by smacking Green for four sixes in a row while taking 28 runs from the 44th over. Though Green bounced back by sending Rahul’s leg-stump on a cartwheel ride, Suryakumar continued to impress with boundaries all over the park to end up unbeaten on a career-best 72.

Brief Scores: India 399/5 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 105, Shubman Gill 104; Cameron Green 2-103, Josh Hazlewood 1-62,) against Australia

–IANS