Kohli, Yadav power India to series win after Green blitz

Rising allrounder Cameron Green underlined his class with another spectacular performance, but Australia's nemesis Virat Kohli propelled his side to a series-clinching win in Hyderabad.

Opener Green smashed 52 off 21 balls in Australia's score of 7-186 on Sunday and conceded just 14 runs from three overs.

But India reached their target with one ball to spare to secure a 2-1 series victory by six wickets – and an ICC record of 21 T20I wins in a calendar year. 

Impressive innings from Kohli (63 off 48) and Suryakumar Yadav (69 off 36), laid the platform for India's victory with a third wicket stand of 104.

 

Image Id: 1347CFAEA77C4B1E9F01C61B00898BE8 Image Caption: Suryakumar Yadav was destructive with the bat, hitting five sixes // Getty

 

Green, who had played just one T20 international before the series, was the highest run-scorer across the three games with 118 and his scintillating strike rate of 214 was also the best in either team.

Australia's two most inexperienced T20I players on the night, Green and middle order power hitter Tim David (54 off 27), starred at the front and back end of their innings, respectively.

Unlike Green, David, who has played just three T20I games, has been named in Australia's squad for their World Cup title defence on home soil next month.

Asked about Green not being named in that squad, captain Aaron Finch said: "That's not my domain, but he's a super young player.

"He's shown his class, and especially to bat at the top of the order in a position that he hasn't done before.

"He hasn't played much T20 to be honest, so the way that he took the game on and was ultra-aggressive from the start, I loved that about him and he had a good impact with the ball today as well."

With long-serving opener David Warner rested, Green was given the opportunity to bat at the top of the order for an Australian team also missing injured allrounders Mitch Marsh and Marcus Stoinis and paceman Mitchell Starc.

"If anything were to happen with someone in the (World Cup squad) 15, I think it's obvious that we've got some good depth there," Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald said.

Needing 11 off the final over, bowled by Daniel Sams (2-33 off 2.5 overs), Kohli blasted a six over long on but was caught at extra cover off the next delivery.

Only one came off the next two balls but Hardik Pandya (25 not out off 16) edged the fifth delivery outside off stump to the boundary to secure the win.

Kohli, who had a life on 23 when leg spinner Adam Zampa spilled a sharp return catch, middled the ball well from the start of his innings, but he then took a back seat as Yadav bullied the Australia attack, smashing five fours and five sixes.

 

Image Id: 9F61183358C845C5A55E28AF02C28238 Image Caption: Tim David's 54 off 27 changed the game for Australia // Getty

 

Earlier, Green stuck seven fours and three sixes, two of them off successive deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah.

However, he was the only one of Australia's top four to reach double figures.

Josh Inglis made 24 off 22 and David provided much needed momentum in the later overs.

He combined with Sams (28 not out off 20) for a seventh wicket stand of 68, after Australia slumped to 6-117.

They took 39 off the 18th and 19th overs, David underlining his power hitting credentials with four sixes.

India's left arm spinner Axar Patel (3-33) was named player of the series after taking eight wickets at an average of 7.87 and economy rate of 6.30.

Australia will play two T20I matches in early October against the West Indies and three against England prior to the World Cup.

Australia XI: Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Daniel Sams, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa

India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Qantas T20 Tour of India 2022

September 20: First T20: Australia won by four wickets

September 23: Second T20: India won by six wickets

September 25: Third T20: India won by six wickets

All matches will be shown live on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports

Australia squad: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandaran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav.