Virat Kohli’s Team India on Thursday reclaimed their No.1 spot in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) one-day international rankings after thrashing Australia in the second match of the five-ODI series in Kolkata. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav became the third India bowler to take a one-day international hat-trick as Australia were bowled out for 202 in a 50-run loss at Eden Gardens.
Yadav took 3/54 and his leg-spin partner Yuzvendra Chahal took 2/34, and India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Yadav returned for his second spell and made history in the 33rd over. First, Matthew Wade (2) played on to his stumps, Ashton Agar (0) was trapped lbw for a first-ball duck, and Pat Cummins (0) was caught behind off the next ball.
Yadav joined Chetan Sharma (against New Zealand in 1987) and Kapil Dev (against Sri Lanka in 1991) as India’s hat-trick achievers in an ODI. Overall, he became the fifth India bowler after Sharma, Dev, Harbhajan Singh (against Australia in 2001) and Irfan Pathan (against Pakistan in 2006) to reap a hat-trick in international cricket. Singh and Pathan did theirs in tests.
India’s sensational bowling performance came after captain Virat Kohli made a fluent 92 to take the hosts to 252 with opener Ajinkya Rahane scoring 55 at the top of the order.
With this win, India have moved up to the top of the table with South Africa on second and Australia on third. Although India and South Africa both have 119 rating but Kohli’s men are ahead on points.
This was also India’s 8th consecutive ODI victory in a row. Australia, on the other hand, have lost their last 10 ODIs away from home.
Both teams will now travel to Indore to play the third ODI on Sunday. However, if India lose the third ODI, they will again move back to the second position.
