Australia kept losing one wicket too many at every stage of game, laments Aaron Finch

Australia kept losing one wicket too many at every stage of game, laments Aaron Finch

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Australian skipper Aaron Finch felt that losing wickets at crucial stages of their batting is what cost them in the end as they could not post enough runs to challenge the hosts. Australia could only score 286 in 50 overs, a target which India chased down easily under 48 overs to win the series 2-1.

India avenged their defeat in the first ODI in style as they came from behind to win the series 2-1 by beating Australia by seven wickets. Batting first, Australia posted 286 on the board with Steve Smith scoring a brilliant century. However, there was not enough support from the other end as they kept on losing wickets and skipper Aaron Finch felt that this cost them in the end.

"If we had 310ish, then our spinners could put some pressure in the middle. Again, we just keep losing one wicket too many at every stage of the game," Finch said in the post-match presentation ceremony, reported Cricbuzz.

"Our momentum gets stalled, but it's a great learning curve to play against the best in the world in their conditions," he added.

India were a batsman short as Shikhar Dhawan had injured himself in the field. And after losing the wicket of KL Rahul, Australia knew that getting one of either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli would expose the not-so-experienced Indian middle-order, but Rohit (119) and Kohli (89) put on a batting masterclass adding 137 runs for the second wicket.

Finch, towards the middle, made a blunder by taking the spinners out of the attack who were bowling well, introducing himself and Labuschagne for bowling some overs owing to Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc proving to be expensive. But both Rohit and Kohli took a special liking to them and scored a flurry of boundaries against the part-timers. Finch admitted that it was a decision that did not come off well for the visitors.

"Agar bowled great lines and length, and he's always on the stumps, so the batsman has to take risks of the good balls. You are bowling at world-class players, but I thought we'd pitch a few overs of part-time spin, but that wasn't to be."

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