Australia vs. India: Winners and Losers from 3rd ODI
Hosts Australia moved into an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match one-day series against India with a three-wicket triumph in Melbourne.
Virat Kohli hit 117 for the tourists, but for the third match in a row, India's bowlers were unable to defend a big first-innings total.
Their score of 295 for six also included contributions from Shikhar Dhawan (68) and Ajinkya Rahane (50), while John Hastings claimed four wickets for the hosts.
In reply, Australia's run chase looked to be in a spot of trouble when they slipped to 215 for six.
However, Glenn Maxwell's 96 moved the home side to the brink of victory. He fell with one run needed, looking to find the boundary to bring up his hundred, but the Australians still won with seven balls to spare.
Here Bleacher Report picks out the winners and losers from the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Winner: Glenn Maxwell
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For the fourth time in his one-day international career, Glenn Maxwell fell in the 90s.
However, he couldn't be blamed for getting out when he did. With the game all but over, the all-rounder rightly tried to reach a second ODI century with a boundary that would have also finished the game.
He had hit plenty of them before his dismissal during the rest of his 83-ball knock, striking eight fours and three sixes.
It was a mature performance from a player who is determined to get rid of his nickname, Big Show.
Maxwell said after the game, per Brydon Coverdale of ESPN Cricinfo: "I'm hoping a lot more innings like that and hopefully people will start to forget about the stupid nicknames and all that sort of thing, and the hype, and the trick shots. It's something I'm trying to change and it's been something I'm really working on."
Losers: India
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For the third successive match in the series, India posted a sizeable total when batting first. But for the third successive match, they were unable to defend it.
Having chased down targets of 309 and 308 in Perth and Brisbane respectively, 296 held few fears for an in-form Australia batting lineup.
Unlike in the previous two games, India's bowlers did manage to take wickets. Seamers Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav picked up two apiece, with Ravindra Jadeja also bagging a brace.
However, an 80-run partnership between Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner inspired the hosts to victory, leaving India to play for nothing more than pride in the final two matches of the series.
Winner: John Hastings
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With Australia resting several of their bowlers following a busy summer schedule, other players have been given a chance to impress in the one-day series.
John Hastings certainly seized his opportunity in Melbourne, picking up career-best one-day figures of four for 58.
The Duke's first wicket saw him end a 119-run stand for the second wicket between Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli, as he bowled the former with a full delivery that hit leg stump.
He also dismissed centurion Kohli, as well as Ajinkya Rahane and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to pick up a four-wicket haul for the first time on duty with Australia.
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Loser: Mitchell Marsh
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Mitchell Marsh returned to Australia's XI after being rested for the second one-dayer, a decision former players Allan Border and Brad Haddin questioned, per Martin Smith on Cricket Australia's official website.
He was barely used by captain Steve Smith during India's innings, bowling just two overs at a cost of 12 runs. However, Marsh did have a wonderful chance to impress with the bat in the home team's run chase.
Coming to the crease with Australia on 167 for four following the dismissal of his older brother, Shaun, Marsh quickly got into his stride.
But having eased to 17 from 14 deliveries, he was caught short of his ground by a Umesh Yadav throw. Marsh had only himself to blame as some casual running between the wickets ended his innings.
Winner: Virat Kohli
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Virat Kohli struck his 24th one-day century for India in his 161st innings, an impressive achievement considering it took Sachin Tendulkar 218 knocks to reach the same number of hundreds.
Kohli has now managed scores of 91, 59 and 117 in the series in Australia, giving him an impressive average of 89.
The right-hander also reached a significant personal milestone in his innings, as he went beyond the 7,000-run barrier in the 50-over format.
Per Bharath Seervi of ESPN Cricinfo, the 27-year-old achieved the feat faster than anyone. South Africa's AB de Villiers had previously been the quickest, making it to 7,000 ODI runs in 166 innings.
Loser: Ravichandran Ashwin
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It was a difficult day for Ravichandran Ashwin—not only was he dropped by India in Melbourne, but he also lost top spot in the ICC Test bowler rankings to England's Stuart Broad.
The off-spinner was left out by the tourists after picking up only two wickets in the opening two matches. He had also been expensive, leaking 128 runs from his 19 overs.
But India perhaps missed a trick leaving out their leading slow bowler. Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets with his left-arm spin, including getting Australia captain Steve Smith caught at slip.
Brydon Coverdale of ESPN Cricinfo noted in his report: "On a pitch that offered some turn, it was a mistake that [India] left out R Ashwin."
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