Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wound back the clock to show they are not spent forces to help India cruise to victory in the final ODI against Australia at the SCG.
Sharma blasted 121 and Kohli added 74 as they shared an unbeaten 168-run second-wicket partnership to thrash Australia, chasing down 237 with 11.3 overs to spare in what was effectively a dead rubber after the home side had won the first two matches of the series.
Kohli had been out for a duck in each of the first two matches but he was back to his best on Saturday in his 81-ball stay at the crease which featured seven fours.
But it was Sharma who was the star of the show with the opener belting the bowling attack to all corners of the ground, reaching the rope on 13 occasions and launching three sixes into the stands.
The veteran duo are aiming to remain in the team until the 2027 World Cup and if they can replicate these kinds of innings more often than not, they will get their wish.
Kohli’s knock is likely to be his last international innings in Australia.
There were signs of Kohli’s best early when he cut Adam Zampa for four, before a lovely straight drive off Mitchell Starc that went to the boundary.
Kohli survived an lbw review on 35 on umpire’s call on height, and brought up his half-century off 56 balls.
Australia’s bowlers had no answers with Josh Hazlewood’s dismissal of Shubman Gill for 24 via a nick to Alex Carey their only moment of success.
There was a minor scare for Australia late, with Hazlewood appearing to dislocate a finger on his non-bowling hand ahead of the Ashes attempting a catch.
Sharma’s century was his record-equalling ninth against Australia, joining Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar as the only two batters who have achieved the feat.
The opener took to Adam Zampa, sweeping him over the rope twice and producing another six when he lifted the legspinner over long-off.
He hit Starc to the boundary four times in the left-armer’s first three overs, and drove Nathan Ellis over mid-off for another four.
Horribly out of form on last year’s Test tour, Rohit brought up his century from 105 balls when he pushed Zampa down the ground.
Since last summer, both he and Kohli have retired from Test cricket, with the ODI format their only international commitments from here on.
Australia stumbled to be all out for 236 with a late-innings collapse cruelling their hopes of a historic series clean sweep in Sydney.
The hosts appeared to be in a position of power at 3-183 in the 34th over on Saturday afternoon, before losing 7-53 to be all out 13 overs later.
Matt Renshaw top-scored for Australia with 56, while Mitch Marsh produced the only six of the innings with a booming pull shot, before being bowled by Axar Patel for 41.
But after giving themselves the platform to launch from in the later overs, Australia were unable to capitalise.
Harshit Rana first had Carey (24) well caught by Shreyas Iyer running back at point, before Renshaw fell lbw trying to work Washington Sundar to the legside.
Mitchell Owen followed when he edged Rana (4-39) to slip, and Mitchell Starc was then bowled by wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the next over.
At that point the hosts had lost 4-18 in five overs.
Cooper Connolly (23) and Nathan Ellis (16) led a brief recovery, but Rana ultimately ran through the tail to claim career-best figures.
Travis Head brought up his 3,000th ODI run
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 25, 2025
What a lovable player he is. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/irDG5kJQTZ
Renshaw’s runs were another reminder that he is a man in form ahead of the Ashes, after posting a century in his only Sheffield Shield game for Queensland.
But the left-hander will be ruing the fact he did not go on and make a statement, after scores of 21 not out and 30 in the first two ODIs.
The 29-year-old remains in contention to open for Australia in the first Test against England in Perth, albeit only if the hosts want Marnus Labuschagne to return at No.3.
But even if the door does not open at the start of the series, a chance likely looms in the next year, with Usman Khawaja aged 38 and no guarantee to play on beyond this summer.
with AAP
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