Virat Kohli of India is congratulated by teammate Rohit Sharma after completing his half-century (50 runs) during the third match of the One Day International series between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 25, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo: Ayush Kumar/Getty Images) If the Diwali sweets in your homes have already been consumed, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have ensured that the lingering aftertaste of these sweets remains for at least another day.On a heady Saturday afternoon at the Sydney Cricket Ground, India’s bowlers, led by pacer Harshit Rana (4-39) and spin trio Washington Sundar (2-44), Kuldeep Yadav (1-50) and Axar Patel (1-18 from six overs), engineered Australia’s collapse of 7-53 after being by the first 183-3.
Shubman Gill Press Conference: Captain welcomes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India’s big win
Then, the largely Indian crowd got what they paid for, a batting clinic from Ro-Ko, who produced nine wickets to help the visitors avoid whitewash. The home team won the series 2:1.In Adelaide two days ago, Rohit fought hard for most of his 73 runs on a spicy package. In Sydney, where he played a key role in India’s only two previous wins over Australia in 2008 and 2016, the former captain went on to his 33rd ODI hundred off just 105 balls. Rohit (121*, 125 balls, 13×4, 3×6) now has nine hundreds against Australia, joint most with Sachin Tendulkar.Next to him was Kohli, his partner in crime in many chases against the Aussies. The Pursuit Master buried himself. After all, he didn’t travel 6,472 air miles from Delhi to return from Down Under without a run.Kohli responded with a polished, unbeaten 74 (81b, 7×4) and celebrated his first run, thanks to the dismissal of Josh Hazlewood, with a mock clenched fist and a smile. The senior pros added 168 for the second wicket, their stand from the 19th century, to reach the target and silence doubters who doubted their ability to remain competitive at this level.Kohli’s greatness in the ODI format lies in his ability to run hard between the wickets and become a risk-free run-machine without affecting the pace of the innings. Dabs to third man, clips to mid-wicket, and drives to Widish long-off against spin are his staple diet, especially after the powerplay. On Saturday, while the highlight reel will feature mostly Rohit, Kohli’s direct batting of Mitchell Starc will have you popping the champagne. The only bit of drama for him came when he survived a DRS umpire’s appeal for lbw from Nathan Ellis. During his knock, he surpassed Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara’s 14,234 ODI runs and was second in the ODI highest score table behind Sachin Tendulkar.
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Batting in an open stance to counter Mitchell Starc’s inside movement, Rohit started to punch Starc’s inswinger through mid-wicket. Another raucous left shoulder extra cover drive had Mark Waugh salivating at the commentary.But he saved his best for the spinners, especially leggie Adam Žampa, whom he hit for two sixes, one over slog-sweep and the other over deep extra cover.Australia tried to use shortstops Cooper Connolly and Matthew Short to disrupt Rohit, but both were violently swept for boundaries behind the square. Rohit’s hundred came courtesy of Zampa’s slight bounce at long-on and marked his 50th international ton. He has five in T20Is and 12 in Tests.
