Bengaluru: On a day when Australia needed to dismiss their harshest critics following sedate performances in the previous three ODIs, openers Aaron Finch (94) and centurion David Warner (124) stepped up to the plate with a record 231-run opening stand, helping the visitors post a combative 334/5 on a slowing wicket before restricting the Indians to script a 21 run win in the 4th ODI at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma began the lofty chase in blistering fashion, with both batsmen getting to their fifties with aggressive intent and powerful stroke play. They stitched a 106-run partnership before Rahane fell to Richardson for 53.
Not for the first time, a mix-up between Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli ended the former's stint at the crease by virtue of a run-out. Kohli was handed an early lifeline when he was dropped by spinner Travis Head off his own delivery. He too failed to capitalise, chopping back onto his stumps off Coulter-Nile.
Two new batsmen, and work to do. Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav worked hard to put up 76 for the fifth wicket. But clever bowling in the middle overs from the pacers and Zampa piled on the required run rate, and Pandya miscued his heave to a man in the deep. Zampa and the Aussies were ecstatic after removing the danger man.
Jadhav managed 61-runs with Manish Pandey, but once the question of the Duckworth-Lewis method arose, India always had one eye on the equation. Wickets fell in a flurry and Australia successfully defended their formidable score.
Earlier, Kohli opted to rest his twin death bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar along with chinaman Kuldeep Yadav, bringing in Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Axar Patel instead.
Warner and Finch, the latter playing his second match of the series following his ton in Indore, stepped out and got the Aussies off to a breezy start. The left-right combination targeted Shami and Yadav, will the latter going for plenty as Australia reached 63 in their first 10 overs.
Kohli brought in Patel and Hardik Pandya, desperate to stem the tide. But the Aussies took Pandya, the revelation of the series, to the cleaners, with both batsmen finding the gaps. A six and a four off consecutive loose balls from Patel saw Warner reach his 50 in 46 balls. Australia were in cruise-mode, bringing up the 100 in 16 overs.
Australia, looking to break their worst ODI away run of 11 losses, were sitting pretty and the projected score was 350 at one stage. Southpaw Warner confirmed India's fears as he got down on one knee to slog sweep the in-form wrist spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the innings' first six.
Wicketkeeper M.S. Dhoni missed a stumping opportunity to get rid of Finch on 47, and the Men in Blue were made to pay for it.
The rustiness among India's replacement was certainly apparent, forcing Kohli to use a sixth bowler in Kedar Jadhav for the first time in the series.
Warner picked him for four through backward point to bring up a magnificent 100 in his 100th ODI.
