Teenage fast bowler Ishant Sharma reinforced his status as one of the most exciting young talents in world cricket with a man-of-the-match performance to inspire his side to victory in their tri-series match against Australia at the MCG yesterday.
Set just 160 to win after Sharma rocked the Australians with four wickets, there were plenty of anxious moments for the young Indians with the bat when they lost 3-13 to slump to 102 for five against tight bowling from the Australian seamers.
India had looked in control at 89 for two, but when Sachin Tendulkar's innings ended on 44 and Yuvraj Singh's woeful summer continued when he departed for three, the Australians had the scent of victory.
PHOTO: AFP
However, youngster Rohit Sharma (39 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out) weathered the storm with determined and composed batting that yielded an unbroken 58-run stand.
The result breathed new life into the tri-series and was just India's second one-day win against the home side in 18 matches in Australia since 1986.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Australians made their second-lowest total ever batting first with only 159 in 43.1 overs.
Sharma overcame problems with his run-up and early punishment from opener Matthew Hayden to wreak havoc on the Australian top order claiming 4-38.
He should have had five wickets, with wicketkeeper Dhoni grassing a chance from tailender Nathan Bracken late in the Australian innings, and was well supported by Shanth Sreesanth (3-31) and Irfan Pathan (2-26).
The 19-year-old Sharma's second over was a nightmare, conceding 18 runs as Hayden belted four boundaries, he bowled two no-balls and lost his run-up.
But in a sign of his impressive composure under pressure, he bounced back to have a leaden-footed Hayden caught behind from the second ball of his next over.
Hayden (25 from 21 balls) did not move his feet at all as he attempted a lusty cover drive and only got a thick edge through to Dhoni.
Sharma then produced a superb rising delivery as Ricky Ponting's form slump continued when he was caught at first slip by Tendulkar for just nine.
Ponting, who also struggled in the Test series against India apart from grafting out a century on a flat wicket in Adelaide, has just 18 runs in three innings in the tri-series at 6.00.
Sharma's third victim was Andrew Symonds, the dangerous right-hander well caught for 14 off the outside edge by the diving Dhoni as he attempted to defend another rising delivery.
Australia had lost 4-38 and were in all sorts of trouble at 75 for five.
A brilliant piece of work by Dhoni then removed the recalled Brad Haddin, stumped down the leg side off a Harbhajan Singh wide for five, from 31 balls, as India turned the screws and Australia slumped to 92 for six.
Only Mike Hussey held the Australian innings together with an unbeaten 65, his 53-run stand with Brett Lee for the seventh wicket adding much-needed respectability to the total.
Sharma wrapped up the innings when Dhoni completed his fifth dismissal of the innings to remove Stuart Clark.
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