India v Australia player ratings: Kohli scores 10 once again; Nehra pick of the bowlers
Australia
Usman Khawaja – 5.5/10
He went after Bumrah from the word go and gave the momentum Australia were looking for at the start of the innings. His 26-run knock, off just 16 balls, gave his team the perfect platform for a big score. Looked in fine form before he went for an ambitious shot off Nehra and edged it behind to Dhoni.
Aaron Finch – 7/10
He initially struggled a lot against the swing of Nehra, but came to life as soon as Ashwin came into the attack. He took apart India's first choice spinner, but went back into his shell after the dismissal of Khawaja. Finch kept losing partners at the other end before he lost his calm and attempted to pull Pandya out of the park. However, his 43-run innings was crucial for Australia, on a what was a difficult pitch to bat on.
David Warner – 2/10
He struggled to get going tonight. Jumped down the track to Ashwin to show his aggressive intent for the first time and was easily beaten by the turn of the ball. It was an easy stumping for Dhoni in the end.
Steven Smith – 1/10
Winning the toss was his only meaningful contribution in the game. Zilch after that.
Glenn Maxwell – 4/10
He struggled to strike and time the ball on the slow wicket and it took him 24 balls to hit his first boundary. He hit a massive six with a switch-hit off Jadeja, but was dismissed in the next over. He started well with the ball, but conceded 12 runs off his second over.
Shane Watson – 7/10
It ended up being his last match for Australia, but the all-rounder produced a fine display with the ball. Made a brilliant start with the bat as he pulled Pandya off the front foot, like he has done countless times throughout his career, but struggled to get going after that. In the second innings, he dismissed both Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina to put India in a spot of bother. He conceded just 23 runs in his four overs and took a brilliant catch to dismiss Yuvraj Singh as well. Farewell Watto!
James Faulkner – 2.5/10
Came to bat at a time when his team needed some quick runs, and he failed to deliver on the night. Started off well with the ball in his first two overs, and dismissed Yuvraj with a good slower delivery. However, he was taken apart by Kohli in the 18th over, when he conceded 19 runs and that changed the complexion of the match completely.
Peter Nevill – 6/10
He faced the last two balls of the Australian innings and scored 10 runs off them. His cameo took his team's score to 160, which at that time looked like an important landmark.
Adam Zampa – 4/10
It was a mystery why Smith did not bring him on in the first 10 overs, on a pitch where batsmen were struggling against the spinners. He conceded just 11 runs in his two overs, and was removed from the attack after Yuvraj hit him for a six.
Nathan Coulter-Nile – 5.5/10
The fast bowler maintained a good and length from his first delivery, and dismissed Dhawan with a brilliantly directed bouncer. Felt the wrath of Kohli towards the end, but was one of Australia's better bowlers on the night.
Josh Hazlewood – 2/10
It was a poor performance from the 25-year-old. He leaked runs in both of his spells and eased the pressure others were building around him.
India
Rohit Sharma – 3/10
Another underwhelming outing for Rohit. Did not give India the quick start they were looking for, and did not hang around long enough too.
Shikhar Dhawan – 3.5/10
The southpaw made a confident start to his innings as he drove Hazlewood through the cover boundary and then pulled him for six over mid-wicket. Looked set for a good innings, just before he got out trying to pull a bouncer from Coulter-Nile.
Virat Kohli – 10/10
What can one say about this man, which already has not been said. India were tottering at 49/3 in 7.4 overs on a surface where batsmen found it hard to get going. But like he said before, Kohli thrives under such situations, and once again he delivered a masterclass. He took apart the Australian bowling without breaking a sweat and guided his team home to an emphatic win. He now averages a staggering 122.8 while chasing in T20Is. What a player!
Suresh Raina – 3/10
He started off confidently with a drive through the cover, and looked busy on the crease. However, his weakness was exploited by the opponents once again and he was caught out when he tried to pull a short delivery – a story which has repeated itself far too often sadly.
Yuvraj Singh – 6/10
Like so many times in the past, Yuvraj picked up a wicket off his first delivery and then kept it tight for the rest of his three overs. Got off to an edgy start with the bat, but kept rotating the strike with Kohli. Pulled his hamstring while trying the play a short ball, bowled by Coulter-Nile, of his hips and that greatly reduced his strike play and running between the wicket. However, his partnership with Kohli was an important one for India.
MS Dhoni 6.5/10
Got everything right on the night, except the toss. Took a good catch to dismiss Khawaja, then another to dismiss Smith. Had a relatively easy stumping to dismiss Warner, and made good bowling changes to reduce the flow of the runs in the middle overs. During the chase, he played the perfect foil to Kohli and kept rotating the strike with some fantastic running between the wickets. Finished off the match with a boundary to wrap up a satisfying performance.
Hardik Pandya – 6.5/10
He kept it tight with the ball, and was aided by the low bounce of the surface. He dismissed the dangerous Finch and Faulkner, however, he did concede 15 runs in his last over.
Ravindra Jadeja – 5.5/10
Bowled a tight line and length in his first two overs and when he gave away just six runs. Fielded well off his own bowling, saved some crucial runs and helped India pull down the run rate in the middle overs. However, 15 runs off his third over did spoil his figures a bit.
Ravichandran Ashwin – 3/10
It was a poor performance from the spinner, on a track where batsmen struggled against the slower bowlers. Lost his confidence when Finch went after him in his first over, and did not recover after that. Bowled one good delivery in his two overs, and that got him the wicket of Warner.
Jasprit Bumrah – 4.5/10
He struggled to get his length right in his first spell. Bumrah kept bowling short and Khawaja kept pulling him to the boundary. Recovered well in his second spell, though, and removed Maxwell just when he was looking to change gears and bowled a couple of tight overs at the end.
Ashish Nehra – 8/10
Another outstanding performance from the veteran. Nehra swung the new ball and was unlucky to have not managed to dismiss Finch despite beating him numerous times. He removed Khawaja, who was starting to dominate the Indian bowling, and then wrapped it up with a brilliant over at the death in his second spell.