India become no 1

India become no 1

INDIA’S five-wicket win in the third One-Day International on Sunday night took them to their quickest series win against Australia, and to the world No. 1 ranking. India have won three ODIs in a row in this series, a feat the team had not achieved against Australia ever before. This is India's sixth consecutive ODI series win and the No. 1 rank is richly deserved. Over the last three years, India have won 11 out of the 14 bilateral series they've played. The team has been especially strong in its own backyard during this period, losing only one series at home. Australia, on the other hand, seem to be going through difficult times away from home — Sunday’s defeat was their 11th consecutive away defeat.

Australia's last away win came exactly a year ago, against Ireland in South Africa. The world champions are clearly going through a phase of rebuilding. David Warner, their vice-captain, said as much when he commented that the team that won the World Cup in 2015 had a significantly different composition. India, too, are going through some experimentation and testing to prepare for the 2019 World Cup. But even with a rookie spin combination, uncertain pace attack and key batsmen missing, India were too strong for Australia.

The key to India's crushing series win lies with their two wrist spinners — leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav - and the form of all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Australia have struggled against Chahal and Yadav, who have taken 13 of the 25 wickets picked up by Indian bowlers in three matches; Pandya, with 181 runs off 164 balls and five wickets, has been irresistible. India have beaten Australia without important players such as Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Shikhar Dhawan. Virat Kohli's young team has all the makings of a very good fighting unit. Maybe it would eventually become strong enough to do what no Indian team has done before — win a series against South Africa and Australia on their grounds.