IND vs AUS: 2nd ODI Review – Starc, Australian openers dismantle India in Vizag

Australia thrashed India by 10 wickets in the second ODI to level the three-match series to 1-1 on Sunday, March 19. Mitchell Starc wreaked havoc over Indian top-order with five wickets to bowl out the Men in Blues for just 117 bowling first. Then Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head helped Australia chase the target in just 11 overs with brilliant unbeaten half-centuries.

Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bowl first at Visakhapatnam’s Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Alex Carey returned to take gloves from Josh Inglis and Nathan Ellis replaced Glenn Maxwell for Australia. India welcomed back skipper Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel with Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur being dropped to the bench.

Starc dismissed Shubman Gill in the very first over to give Australia the start they needed. He added big pressure on the hosts with two back-to-back wickets of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in the fifth over. Suryakumar’s struggles in ODIs continued as he was dismissed on a golden duck for the second consecutive game.

Virat Kohli kept the runs coming from another end as he top-scored with 31 off 35 but did not get much support for the top order. Nathan Ellis and Sean Abbott also contributed with two wickets each while Starc took hit fifth wicket of the day in the form of Mohammed Siraj to bowl out the hosts on just 117 runs in 26 overs.

Top performers

Mitchell Marsh

With a possibility of rain looming in Visakhapatnam, Australian openers Marsh and Travis Head adopted an aggressive approach from the beginning. Marsh smashed 66* off 36 as he tore apart Indian bowling apart with the help of six fours and six sixes. His partner Head also set the scorecard on fire by smashing a quick fifty. He remained unbeaten on 51 off 30 with 10 fours to help the traveling side ease to win.

Mitchell Starc

Starc dented India right from the word go as he struck in the very first over to send back Gill cheaply. His other strike included scalps of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj. He swung the ball into the right handers and made their lives difficult to bag his ninth fifer in the format.

What’s next for both teams?

Both India and Australia travel to Chennai for the third ODI match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, March 22.