The three-match series is now tied at 1-1 and the series decider will be played in Chennai on Wednesday.
India endured a heavy defeat in the second ODI against Australia in Visakhapatnam, with the entire contest getting wrapped in just 37 overs. While rain was predicted to interrupt the proceedings, Australia quick Mitchell Starc ensured he finishes things before any such thing could happen. Starting from where he left in the previous encounter played in Mumbai, which India won by five wickets, Starc pushed the hosts on the backfoot right from the word go.
Shubman Gill was Starc’s first victim as he was caught at point by Marnus Labuschagne in the first over after Australia won the toss and invited India to bat first. Starc accounted for two more wickets – Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav – in his third over as India were reduced to 32-3 in 4.5 overs.
Starc then packed previous encounter’s match-winner KL Rahul for 9 (12), before Steve Smith rubbed salt on India’s wounds. The stand-in Aussie skipper plucked an one-handed beauty while fielding at slips to get rid of Hardik Pandya as India lost half their side with just 49 runs on the board.
The wickets kept tumbling as Nathan Ellis too made some quick inroads, which included the prized wicket of Virat Kohli, who scored 31 off 35 balls.
Starc then went to complete his fifer by removing Mohammed Siraj as the Indian innings was folded for 117 in just 26 overs.
Australia in response made a mockery of the run-chase as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh’s explosive knocks saw the visitors wrap the show in just 11 overs. Both the batters remained unbeaten as Head scored 51 off 30 balls, while Marsh smashed 36-ball 66 to guide Australia to a 10-wicket win.
With this defeat, India also scripted an unwanted record in the 50-over format. The Men In Blue endured their biggest defeat while batting first. Australia finished the run-chase with 234 balls to spare. The previous record was held by New Zealand, who had defeated India with 212 balls to spare in a contest played in Hamilton back in 2019.
