New Delhi, Sept 26: An ecstatic Sachin Tendulkar lauded Team India’s dominant series with over Australia after Virat Kohli and Co. secured a 5-wicket win over Steve Smith’s men at Indore’s Holkar stadium on Sunday.
The match saw Hardik Pandya hit a crucial half-century to lead India to a series-clinching triumph over Australia, with two games to spare.
Pandya's 72-ball 78 helped the hosts chase down 294 with 13 balls to spare and take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Earlier openers Rohit Sharma, who made 71, and Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 70, put together a 139-run stand to lay a solid foundation for the team`s comfortable win.
Reflecting on the win, Tendulkar lauded the Men in Blue who made it 9 consecutive ODI wins under Virat Kohli and further asked to make it 11 by completing a whitewash or 'Bluewash' as Sachin said, over the Aussies by winning the remaining two matches.
“A win made to look rather easy by the #MenInBlue! Great achievement to remain unbeaten in 9 games! Let's make it 11 & #bluewash the series,” tweeted the Master Blaster.
A win made to look rather easy by the #MenInBlue! Great achievement to remain unbeaten in 9 games! Let's make it 11 & #bluewash the series. pic.twitter.com/IvKnfVAZBq
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 24, 2017
Despite winning the series, skipper Virat Kohli asked his teammates to remain ruthless in the remaining two ODIs and continue their dominant run which saw them reach No. 1 spot in the ICC rankings after Indore ODI.
"Credit to the whole squad for the series win, but the journey stops only after the final game," said Kohli, the top ODI and T20 batsman in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings.
"We may give opportunities for people from now, but all 15 guys know that we got to be ruthless once we step onto the field," Kohli added.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel returns to the Indian squad in place of Ravindra Jadeja for the final two ODIs that will be played in Bangalore and Nagpur on Thursday and Sunday.
Patel, who sprained his ankle at the start of the series, will join Chahal and Yadav as the third spinner in the 15-man squad.
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