India head coach Gautam Gambhir credited Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the side's dominant 9-wicket victory over Australia in the third and final ODI of the series. This comes after the duo formed a huge 168-run stand to guide the visitors to a comfortable win at the Sydney Cricket Ground. After a tremendous bowling effort that saw the Men in Blue bundle out the Aussies for 236 runs, Rohit's unbeaten 121 and Virat's gritty 74 were enough to see the team avoid a humiliating series whitewash.
After the match, Gambhir first praised Rohit and Shubman Gill for providing a strong start to the team with their 69-run stand for the opening wicket. He then went on to label Rohit and Virat's partnership as 'outstanding' and hailed the duo for taking India over the finish line.
"With the bat, I thought the partnership between Shubman and Rohit was very, very important when it was 60 for no loss. And then the partnership between Rohit and Virat was again outstanding. And special mention to another 100 [century], outstanding. The most important thing was that you finished it off, and Virat as well," Gambhir said in a video posted by BCCI.
"I thought that is something which was very important from the team's point of view as well, and how clinical we can be in these chases, and we were very good,' he added.
Big confidence boost for Rohit and Virat
Though India lost the series by 2-1, the final match must have been a major confidence booster for both Rohit and Virat, who came into the series having not played international cricket since the Champions Trophy final in March. The Australia series proved to be a major success especially for Rohit, who finished as the top run-getter with 202 runs from three matches including a century and fifty each.
India's next ODI oppenents to be South Africa
The two will now be setting their sights on India's next ODI assignment that will be a three-match home series against South Africa and will commence from November 30. This will be the Men in Blue's final one-day assignment of the year so it will certainly be important especially for both Rohit and Virat.