DUBAI: Australia Men’s Cricket Team climbed to the top of the ODI Team Rankings following their 2-1 away triumph over India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday.

Spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar turned the series decider to hand Australia a series-winning 21-run victory over India after the hosts bundled out for 248 in response to Australia’s 269.

The 21-run victory puts Australia slightly ahead of India at the top, with the visitors earning 113.286 rating points to the Men in Blue’s 112.638. Prior to the start of the last ODI, India had 114 rating points against Australia’s 112.

 

The visitors had to fight hard for the series triumph and they eventually managed to edge past the dominant hosts to take the series 2-1. The series defeat marked India’s first at home in ODIs since 2019.

Opting to bat first, Australia could accumulate 269 before bundling out in 49 overs with their stand-in opener Mitchell Marsh leading the way with a run-a-ball 47.

Wicketkeeper batter Alex Carey (38) and opening batter Travis Head (33) remained the other notable run-getters while the rest of the batters also contributed significantly except skipper Steven Smith, who bagged a three-ball duck.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav led the bowling charge for India as they struck thrice apiece. Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel, however, bagged two wickets each.

The hosts were cruising in the first 10 overs of their chase before skipper Rohit Sharma fell after a brisk 17-ball 30 with the team at 65/1.

His in-form opening partner Shubman Gill soon followed him as he fell victim to Zampa. He could score a gritty 37 off 29 deliveries.

India’s star batter Virat Kohli and KL Rahul then stitched a crucial 69-run partnership for the third wicket and kept their side in the hunt.

However, Zampa struck again to break the threatening partnership as he removed Rahul on 32 in the 28th over. Axar Patel’s stay at the crease also remained brief as the all-rounder could score two runs in four balls before getting run out in the next over.

Agar then further dented India’s march in the run chase as he removed in-form Kohli (54) and top-ranked T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav for his third consecutive golden duck in the first two balls of the 36th over to leave the hosts reeling at 185/6.

India’s lower-middle order then offered minor resistance before all-rounders Hardik Pandya (40) and Ravindra Jadeja (18) both fell to Zampa, who finished with 4/45 in his quota of 10 overs.

Zampa’s spin partner Agar, however, returned with 2/41 while pacers Sean Abbott and Marcus Stoinis made one scalp each.

READ: Yadav fails again as Australia stun India to win ODI series