At the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, Adam Zampa delivered an impressive ODI bowling performance clinching four wickets as his efforts helped Australia restrict India to 264. Although Australia faced some instability while chasing, they secured crucial innings from Matt Short (73), Cooper Connolly (61*), and Mitch Owen (36) to overcome a disorganized Indian team that struggled with their bowling, ultimately winning the ODI series with one match remaining.
Adam Zampa grabs 4 wickets in his spell
India delivered an improved display compared to their outing in Perth, though it still fell short of their usual high standards. Once again, Shubman Gill lost the toss, and India was asked to bat first on a surface affected by pre-match rain. Facing a disciplined Australian side that refused to concede an inch, Josh Hazlewood carried his exceptional form from Perth, maintaining relentless accuracy and movement off the pitch. Rohit Sharma found himself under immense pressure, scoring his first run off Hazlewood only after facing him for the 25th delivery in the series. Although fortunate with a few close moments, including a near run-out and overturned DRS call, Rohit steadied himself to make a determined 73, while Gill and Kohli fell cheaply — the latter to a pinpoint delivery from Xavier Bartlett that marked his first instance of back-to-back ODI ducks in his illustrious career.
Reduced to 29 for 2 inside the PowerPlay on a tricky pitch, India needed a solid partnership to recover, and the duo of Rohit and Shreyas Iyer obliged. They first had to endure Hazlewood’s unrelenting seven-over spell filled with dot balls and lateral movement. Relief came only after he was withdrawn from the attack, allowing the pair to break free. In the 19th over, Rohit finally found rhythm with two sixes off Mitch Owen, while Iyer added a boundary as India began to rebuild momentum. Together, they steadied the innings and saw off the early threat, setting the foundation for a competitive total.
When Australia turned to spin after the 20th over, Rohit and Iyer continued their recovery with calm control, adding 49 runs off nine overs. Captain Mitchell Marsh tried rotating his trio of spinners — Zampa, Connolly, and Short — to disrupt their rhythm, but India handled them smartly. Rohit reached his slowest ODI fifty since 2015, while Iyer also brought up a composed half-century. However, just as the pair seemed ready to accelerate, India lost crucial wickets in quick succession. Rohit pulled a short ball from Starc straight to deep fine leg, and Iyer followed soon after, bowled by Zampa, who then went on to dismiss KL Rahul with a clever flipper.
Despite the setbacks, Axar Patel kept India in the contest with an aggressive 44 off 41 balls, finding boundaries consistently and attacking spin. Yet his attacking instincts got the better of him when he holed out at long-off against Zampa, who continued to dominate by claiming a fourth wicket after stumping Nitish Reddy. India slipped from a promising position to 226 for 8, but a defiant lower-order partnership brought relief. Harshit Rana’s spirited hitting — including three fours and 16 runs off Zampa’s final over — and Arshdeep Singh’s support added 37 valuable runs for the ninth wicket, rescuing India from a collapse.
Even with a total of 264, India had reasons for optimism given the conditions still offered some movement. Their new-ball attack started well, with Siraj and Arshdeep maintaining tight lines and boundaries hard to come by. Arshdeep struck early to dismiss Marsh, while Rana removed Travis Head for 28 after he mistimed a flick to Kohli at mid-off. However, the total remained below par for a ground like Adelaide, and despite the initial breakthroughs, Australia’s batters — buoyed by collective contributions — were able to steady their chase and ultimately wrap up the ODI series with a match to spare.
Matthew Short and Cooper Connolly justify their selection
India aimed to tighten their grip on the chase after early breakthroughs, but a lack of bowling depth allowed Australia to recover as Matt Short and Matt Renshaw built a crucial partnership. Nitish Reddy’s three overs proved costly, going for 24 runs, and he was unfortunate when Axar Patel dropped a straightforward catch at backward point off Short when he was on 23. With India deploying two finger spinners, captain Shubman Gill was forced to bring back both Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh for second spells, each having bowled seven overs within the first half of the innings. This tactical move left heavy responsibility on the spinners to control proceedings in the middle overs.
Axar provided a timely breakthrough by cleverly reducing his pace to dismiss Renshaw for 30, ending a 55-run stand. Washington Sundar soon joined the act, bowling local favorite Alex Carey with a delivery that snuck under his attempted sweep. At 132 for 4 after 27 overs, India found themselves in a promising position to apply pressure and turn the game. However, their inability to maintain control allowed Australia to bounce back as Cooper Connolly and Short combined for another steady 55-run partnership, frustrating the Indian spinners and fielders alike.
Short, who had brought up his half-century in just 48 balls, survived another lifeline when Siraj spilled a simple catch at point that would have given Washington a second wicket. The missed opportunity shifted momentum completely. Connolly began to dominate, driving and cutting confidently for multiple boundaries off both Axar and Washington. Short shifted gears to play the supporting role but still added valuable runs, including a massive slog-sweep for six and a pair of fours off Harshit Rana before eventually falling while trying to hit another boundary. His innings ensured Australia stayed comfortably ahead of the required rate.
Any hopes of an Indian comeback were soon dashed when Mitch Owen arrived and immediately took charge. He smashed Rana for two fours and two sixes, turning the contest decisively in Australia’s favor and reducing the equation to a mere 48 runs off the last 10 overs. The situation worsened for India, as 27 runs came off the following two overs and fatigue set in with Rana and another player cramping up. Though Owen perished after a match-turning 36 off 23 balls, Connolly maintained composure through the final stages, steering Australia to victory and sealing the series with another composed finish.
Scorecard: India 264/9 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 73, Shreyas Iyer 61; Adam Zampa 4-60, Xavier Bartlett 3-39) lost to Australia 264/8 in 46.2 overs (Matt Short 73, Cooper Connolly 61*; Arshdeep Singh 2-41) by two wickets.