Mumbai ODI: Warner, Finch’s record stand flattens India

Mumbai, Jan. 14 (IANS): Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch’s record opening stand flattened the Indian attack on Tuesday as the visitors won the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai by 10 wickets. Both batsmen scored centuries as Australia chased down a target of 256 without losing a wicket.

This is only the second time that India have lost an ODI at home by 10 wickets and the first instance since 2005. Warner and Finch also bettered their own record for the highest ever opening stand for Australia against India.

Warner was given out for caught behind in the sixth over when he chased a short ball down the leg side. He reviewed after a lengthy chat with Finch and the snicko showed no spike as the ball passed the bat.

Australia then raced to 110/0 in 15 overs with Warning crossing his fifty. Finch made his half century in the 16th over as the pair settled into the chase. They slowed the run rate and played a largely chanceless innings with India not helping their case with lapses in the field.

India’s next real chance came in the 29th over when Warner was given LBW off Ravindra Jadeja. This time however, the 33-year-old reviewed straightaway and replays showed that the ball had taken his inside edge before hitting the pads. Warner scored his 18th ODI hundred two overs later and the four that he hit to get there also helped Australia cross the 200-run mark.

Finch also reached his 16th ODI century in the 35th over with a four and in the next over, they set the record for highest opening stand for Australia against India. The previous record also belonged to the pair, which they had set in Bengaluru in 2017. In the 38th over, Warner hit Mohammed Shami for a four past mid-off which were the winning runs for the visitors.

Warner ended the innings on 128 while Finch was on 110.

Earlier, India lost their first wicket early in Rohit Sharma, who was the first to fall to Mitchell Starc. But then Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul seemingly got India back on track with a 121-run partnership for the second wicket. Rahul fell three runs short of his half century to break the partnership in the 28th over after which India lost captain Virat Kohli, who came in at number four instead of his usual three, and Shreyas Iyer in quick succession.

Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja temporarily put a stop to the fall of wickets but scorecard pressure eventually caught up with them. They put on 49 runs for the fifth wicket before Jadeja was caught behind off Kane Richardson. Pant fell in the next over to Pat Cummins after which it was all downhill for India. Pant got a top edge off the short ball bowled by Cummins which hit his helmet before flying to point where Ashton Turner took the catch. He ended up suffering a concussion because of which Rahul kept wickets in his place during the Australian innings.

Brief scores: India 255 all out in 49.1 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 74, KL Rahul 47; Mitchell Starc 3/56) vs Australia 258/0 (David Warner 128, Aaron Finch 110; Ravindra Jadeja 0/41)

Warner becomes fastest Australian to amass 5000 ODI runs
Australia opener David Warner added another feather to his illustrious cap as he became the fastest batsman from his country to amass 5000 ODI runs.

Warner achieved the milestone as soon as he reached his individual score of 10 in the first ODI of the three-match rubber against India at the Wankhede Stadium.

Meanwhile, in the overall list of batsmen reaching the 5k ODI run-mark, Warner now stands at the fourth spot after taking 115 innings to do so.

South Africa’s Hashim Amla tops the chart after amassing 5000 runs from 101 innings and is followed by West Indies great Viv Richards (114 innings).

With the feat, Warner also surpassed Joe Root and Brian Lara to become the third-fastest batsman to reach 5000 runs in ODIs. While Root achieved the feat in 116 innings, Lara took 118 innings to do so.

The previous fastest Australian to reach 5000 runs was Dean Jones, who took 128 innings.