After a horrible start in the first O🎀DI of the series against Australia, Team India ended up with a highly respectable total of 281 with the loss of seven wickets.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, India got off to the worst possible start as they l🎉ost their top order within no time.
Australian pacer Nathan Coulter-Nile wrecked havoc as he ripped through the Indian top order picking up the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey, the latter two who were dismissed for a duck.
With India struggling at 87-5, things were looking really bleak and it looked like the Men in Blue wouldn’t even reach 200. However, Hardik Pandya took matters into his own hands during the middle overs as he smashed Adam Zampa al𒉰l around the park. He scored 83 off justꦺ 66 balls with five fours and five maximums.
WATCH: Hardik Pandya hits a four and 3 consecutive sixes off Adam Zampa
MS Dhoni played se♉cond fiddle during their 118 run partnership by picking up si🅰ngles and giving the strike to Pandya.
However, it was vintage Dhoni towards thꦑe end of the innings as he ended up scoring 79 in 88 deliveries with four fours and two sixes to his name.
Cricketing world showered rich praise on Pandya and Dhoni for their innings.
"He's finished,plays too slow"often heard yet plays a vintage Dhoni inns.Always to the rescue,best of India
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial)
Hardik Pandya has made it a habit of playing the big impact innings. Seeing on♊e currently. Amazi🌞ng stuff!
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar)
Posting 280 incredible effort from 11-3. Can't underestimate influence on India's middle order, brilliant.
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket)
Faulkner has got away with a few no-balls. Time tꦛo get the 3rd umpire involved with the front foot no-ball
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
Congratulations on you𒉰r 100th International half century and aptly it ha🏅ppens in Chennai.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Yet another 100 for ! This timeꦰ in front of the stumps! Congratulations on a centur♍y of 50s Mahi 👍🏻
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt)
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//twitter.com/MoeenAli/status/909373059970273280
Brilli🔴ant innings from Pandya 83 off only 66 balls.
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23)
Tabadhtodh ballebaaji class 👏🏼👏🏼
— Mandeep Singh (@mandeeps12)
FIFTY! brings up his 66th ODI 50
— BCCI (@BCCI)
