The target was 299, openers gave India a quick start, Kohli set the base, hit a century, MS Dhoni nudged a nurdled, Dinesh Karthik gave the final boost and Dhoni finished it all off with a six.
It was the perfect chase and two chase masters in MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli took charge of the innings. India have drawn level in the series and now it all boils down to the decider, which will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Let’s take a look at how Indian players fared in this humdinger at the Adelaide Oval.
Shikhar Dhawan - Rating: 4/10, Verdict: Average
India needed a quick start and Shikhar Dhawan provided the early impetus with a blitz at the top of the order. 32 runs in 28 balls and India were off and running in their chase. He played one stroke too many and fell to Jason Behrendorff, but his start enabled India to pace their chase perfectly.
Rohit Sharma - Rating: 5/10, Verdict: Average
{{/usCountry}}Rohit Sharma - Rating: 5/10, Verdict: Average
{{/usCountry}}After the stupendous century in Sydney, Rohit Sharma looked in good touch once again in Adelaide. He was creaming the drives and looked set for a big innings when his concentration snapped and was dismissed to Marcus Stoinis attempting a pull stroke for 43.
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Virat Kohli - Rating: 9/10, Verdict: Very Good
A run chase and a Kohli masterclass. Two words which have become synonymous in ODI cricket. After failing in Sydney, the skipper looked to be in the zone from the word go and peeled off his 39th century. His intensity at the crease took the pressure off MS Dhoni when he started his innings and then his acceleration in the middle phase kept India afloat in the contest. However, he could not quite take India over the finishing line.
Ambati Rayudu - Rating: 3/10, Verdict: Poor
Ambati Rayudu has the backing of the Indian team management and captain Virat Kohli to be the solution at the number 4 position, but the right-hander needs to start scoring meaningful runs in overseas conditions on a more consistent basis. He looked good in Adelaide, but failed to convert the start. He may be getting an extended rope, but the scores need to be churned out sooner rather than later.
MS Dhoni - Rating: 9/10, Verdict: Very Good
India needed 139 off 118 deliveries when MS Dhoni came in. He nudged and nurdled, took quick singles and sprinted doubles, took it to the final over, hit a six and sealed the game. It was a typical Dhoni-innings in a run chase and it prompted the captain to hail it as a ‘MS classic’. His glove work was sharp and an in-form Dhoni in the middle order renders a rather impregnable look to the Indian batting order.
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Dinesh Karthik - Rating: 7/10, Verdict: Good
When Kohli was out, the game was in the balance. Australia came back into the contest but was quickly shunted out of it by a Karthik-blitz.
The right-hander smacked 25 in 14 balls which allowed Dhoni some breathing space and brought down the required rate to a more manageable level.
Ravindra Jadeja - Rating: 6/10, Verdict: Good
Jadeja did what Jadeja does best. 10 steady overs, 1 wicket, 1 brilliant run out and plenty of runs saved in the outfield. He was not needed with the bat, but it was a complete display by the all-rounder and his form gives this team a very good balance.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar - Rating: 8/10, Verdict: Very Good
There were question marks over the form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading into the Adelaide ODI. However, the seasoned campaigner hit back with a brilliant spell of bowling. He got rid of Aaron Finch early in the piece and then kept things tight by chipping away at the wickets right through the match. 4 wickets for 45 runs in 10 overs, and Bhuvi was back to his effective best.
Kuldeep Yadav - Rating: 3/10, Verdict: Poor
The young bowler did not have a very good match after his exploits in Sydney. The Australian batsmen, especially Shaun Marsh attacked him and forced him to bowl flat which prevented him from taking wickets. He gave away 66 runs in 10 overs and Kohli would want a better outing from his X-factor in Melbourne.
Mohammed Shami - Rating: 7/10, Verdict: Good
It has been a good tour for Mohammed Shami. He was the second highest wicket-taker in the Test series and has carried his form to the ODI matches as well. He takes the new ball and often picks up a wicket and then with the older ball has the ability to hit yorkers and befuddle the batsmen with variations in pace. A big tick box as far as India’s World Cup plans are concerned.
Mohammed Siraj - Rating: 1/10, Verdict: Very Poor
Mohammed Siraj, who made his debut in Adelaide, had a forgettable game in Adelaide as he conceded the second most number of runs by an Indian on ODI debut. He returned with figures of 0/76 from his 10 overs. Karsan Ghavri holds the record with 83 runs in 11 overs on his ODI debut against England in 1975.