IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Australia beat India by two wickets to seal series win

Adelaide: Australia defeated India by two wickets in the second ODI at Adelaide on Wednesday to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The visitors chased down the target in the final overs, led by a steady innings from young batter Cooper Connolly, who displayed maturity under pressure reminiscent of Australian great Michael Bevan.

India’s innings was marked by captain Rohit Sharma’s resilient batting display. After a cautious start against a probing spell from Josh Hazlewood, Rohit found his rhythm with trademark boundaries and pull shots. Hazlewood bowled an exceptional spell, conceding just 29 runs in 10 overs with two maidens, at one point delivering 17 consecutive dot balls to Rohit.

Virat Kohli’s poor run continued as he was dismissed for a duck for the second match in a row, trapped leg-before by Xavier Bartlett. Despite Rohit’s composed 60-run effort, India’s middle order faltered, leaving them with a below-par total. Nitish Reddy’s inclusion over specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav drew scrutiny, particularly as spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar looked threatening during Australia’s chase.

During the chase, Connolly anchored the innings, supported by contributions from Matt Renshaw (30) and Mitchell Owen, who added crucial runs with power hitting against India’s seamers. Adam Zampa, who was named Player of the Match, played a key role with the ball earlier, maintaining pressure through the middle overs.

Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh praised his team’s performance, especially Hazlewood’s bowling and the young players’ composure. “It’s been awesome. India are a fantastic side, and it’s great experience for our young guys,” he said after the match.

The third and final ODI — now a dead rubber — will be played in Sydney on October 25, with India looking to avoid a whitewash and address questions over their team balance and batting depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup.