Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma finally bid goodbye to their lean patch by providing a fantastic start to their side in the fourth ODI against Australia in Mohali on Sunday.
The duo became the first Indian opening pair to score 1000 runs against Australia in ODIs once they strung a 62-run partnership. This was their first fifty-run partnership after 6 innings.
Rohit and Dhawan moved on to complete their 15th-century stand in ODI cricket. They now have joint third most century stands by an opening pair with Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar lead the list with 21-century stands. Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden are in second place with 16 hundred-plus stands.
The 193-run opening stand between Rohit and Dhawan ended with the dismissal of the former on 95. However, Gabbar completed his 16th ODI century and celebrated it in his trademark style.
Riding on Dhawan’s 143 run-knock, India posted a competitive total of 358 for 9 in their full quota of 50 overs on the batting-friendly wicket in Mohali.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Well played @SDhawan25 💯👏🏻👏🏻
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 10, 2019
Century for @SDhawan25. Relief and joy for him, team managment and selectors
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 10, 2019
Love it when a player is under the microscope and he pulls out a gem of an innings. @SDhawan25 well batted. Australia have a fight on their hands tonight. #AUSvIND #cricket
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) March 10, 2019
So happy for Shikhar Dhawan! He is a fantastic one day batsman and now he has got a big score under his belt. And yes, well done to the selectors for picking him this game. 👏👏#INDvAUS
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 10, 2019
Well played @SDhawan25 Much awaited innings. Keep going. Onwards and upwards. #INDvsAUS
— Unmukt Chand (@UnmuktChand9) March 10, 2019
Such a relief to see Shikhar among runs again. If he continues, Indian middle order will be in a very comfortable position! #INDvAUS @SDhawan25
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) March 10, 2019
Has #Dhawan secured his place for the WC with this splendid 143?
— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) March 10, 2019
Dhawan and Mohali. The story continues. Much needed century…. 👏👏 #IndvAus
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 10, 2019
Dhawan's preferred cricket:
*ICC tournaments
*Tests at Galle
*Australia at Mohali #AUSvIND— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) March 10, 2019
Iss jaat da koi muqabla nahi 🤙
Shikhar paaji scored a thunderous century on Test debut in Mohali and he's done it once more against the Aussies today! Top-class century by the India opener. #LivePunjabiPlayPunjabi #INDvAUS
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 10, 2019
Shikhar Dhawan brings up his 16th ODI hundred 🙌🙌
A superb ton from the southpaw against the Aussies in Mohali. Again!#CricketMeriJaan #INDvAUS
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 10, 2019
A gritty half-century for the Hitman but he's been calm on the 22-yards!#CricketMeriJaan #INDvAUS @ImRo45 pic.twitter.com/5wQ503Udyg
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 10, 2019
.@SDhawan25 on his 💯: "I was happy that my smart work paid off. I just kept my cool and said it's alright. At the end of the day if I'm giving my best, that's what matters to me."#INDvAUS #ThisIsNewDelhi #DelhiCapitals
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 10, 2019
Fastest to 10,000 runs in List A cricket:
219 innings – Virat Kohli
225 innings – AB de Villiers
239 innings – SHIKHAR DHAWAN
240 innings – Jacques Rudolph#INDvAUS— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) March 10, 2019
Highest opening partnerships for India v Australia:
188* Rohit-Dhawan, Mohali, 2019
178 Rohit-Dhawan, Nagpur, 2013
176 Rohit-Dhawan, Jaipur, 2013
175 Tendulkar-Ganguly, Kanpur, 1998#IndvAus— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) March 10, 2019
Stiff target for Aus. Need runs at rapid pace right through, which comes attached with high risk if losing wickets. Great surface to bat on though, so India’s bowlers can’t afford to be lax
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) March 10, 2019
