Rohit Sharma

India's aggressive style while batting again proved their downfall as they fell to a 21-run loss to Australia in the third and final ODI in Chennai on Wednesday night, a result that ultimately cost Rohit's side the series and the No.1 ODI team ranking.  Australia have 113.286 rating points compared to the Men in Blue's 112.638. Before the start of the final ODI, India were on top with 114 rating points to Australia's 112.

Left-arm fast-bowler Mitchell Starc emerged as the main architect in Australia bundling out India for their fourth-lowest total at home, claiming his ninth five-wicket haul in ODI cricket, to end India's innings in 26 overs, as the hosts were given their heaviest defeat in terms of balls left (234 balls).

Following an emphatic Border-Gavaskar Trophy which ensured the Rohit Sharma-led side retain the title with a 2-1 series win, the action now shifts to the ODIs as India and Australia square play series opener on Friday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The hosts will miss the services of the 'Hitman', who has given the first ODI a miss due to family commitments. Hardik Pandya.

"With the result 2-1, the first two Tests, we knew how important it was to start the series. I think the Delhi Test match was something I'm really proud of because we were very much behind the game and to come back from the situation that we did shows a lot of character and a lot of fight," he said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Rohit was unbeaten on 17 runs at stumps on day two at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and by scoring four more runs in the morning session of day three's play, he completed 17,000 runs in international cricket. He now joins a list of Indian batters like legendary Sachin Tendulkar, talismanic Virat Kohli, head coach Rahul Dravid, ex-captains Sourav Ganguly.

Bharat, who has filled in for Rishabh Pant after the latter's accident, has excelled behind the stumps, but has scored merely 57 runs at an average of 14.25 in the series. While Jharkhand's Ishan Kishan, who is also in the squad, might be considered a closer fit to Pant given his batting abilities, Rohit looked to back Bharat in the near future.

"Honestly, when you win two games if people outside feel that we are overconfident, it's absolutely rubbish. Because you want to do your best in all four games. You don't want to stop by winning just two games, it is as simple as that," Rohit said in the pre-match press conference.

Australia needed 76 runs in the final innings against India on Friday. After Usman Khawaja fell for a duck in the second innings, Travis Head (49*) and Marnus Labuschagne (28*) steered Australia to a comprehensive nine-wicket win. Speaking to Star Sports during the post-match show, Harbhajan reckoned that Rohit Sharma should have given two to four overs to Axar Patel in the fourth innings.

The first hour of the morning session belonged to Australia as India were unable to make breakthroughs in 16 overs. But after the drinks break, things turned dramatically in the second hour as Umesh and Ashwin took 3/12 and 3/44 respectively. While Umesh was efficient with his exhibition of reverse swing and reached 100 Test wickets at home, Ashwin was able to extract turn, and use it with flight to trigger an Australian batting meltdown, as they lost their last six wickets for just 11 runs in 28 balls.

Rahul's performance in the last 10 Tests has been very underwhelming and despite the backing from head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, it is evident that his spot in the playing XI for third Test is doubtful after he was removed as vice-captain recently.