India blast 399 in second ODI against Australia

Steve Barrett | September 24, 2023

India have posted their highest-ever score against Australia in one-day internationals, piling up a massive 5-399 at Indore.

Shreyas Iyer (105) and Shubman Gill (104) put the battered-and-bruised Australian attack to the sword in the second ODI on Sunday before dashing Suryakumar Yadav (72no) and acting captain KL Rahul (52) joined the feast.

India’s previous highest score in ODIs against Australia was 6-383 at Bangalore in 2013.

Amid the carnage, Cameron Green’s 2-103 was the most runs ever conceded in Australia-India ODIs.

Despite the early loss of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (8) and a 40-minute rain delay in the 10th over, Iyer and Gill batted majestically in their 200-run second-wicket stand.

After raising his third ODI ton, Iyer began cramping before narrowly surviving a disallowed Sean Abbott caught-and-bowled.

Abbott’s diving, right-handed screamer was deemed not out in video review after the ball, nestled in his hand, scraped the ground while he was not in full control, reminiscent of Mitchell Starc’s non-catch which earned England’s Ben Duckett a reprieve in the Lord’s Test during this year’s Ashes.

After heaving Abbott for four off the next ball, Iyer toe-ended a catch to Matt Short in the deep from the next delivery.

The classy Gill, in the form of his life, raised his sixth ODI century before skying Green to Alex Carey.

Rahul, whose six sealed Friday’s opening rubber, banked his second successive half century before being bowled by Green.

Then came the SKY show.

Suryakumar, a Twenty20 master who reversed a run of 19 knocks without a fifty in the 50-over format with his timely half-century in Mohali, put on a power-hitting clinic, crunching the first four balls of Green’s eighth over for 6-6-6-6.

Not considered a walk-up starter in his country’s best 11, Suryakumar belted six sixes in all in his thrilling 37-ball cameo, highlighting India’s embarrassment of batting riches entering the World Cup and leaving Australia with their work cut out to avoid a fifth successive defeat.