Firstpost

1646 IST: Ind 270-6 after 49.4 overs
M Dhoni 44 (58), Ashwin 1 (2)
And India win the match by 4 wickets. It was really tense in the end but a six from Dhoni followed by a waist-high no-ball eased the tension. Dhoni, who seemed short of breath several times in the innings, was saving his energy for the end. Great stuff from him. Everyone contributed but Gambhir’s innings of 92 was vital — without it India would have struggled. This is also India’s highest ever successful chase in Australia.
Off twitter, @rgcricket: Highest batting avg in successful chases (Min.25 inns): Dhoni (104.89), M Clarke (89.20),Bevan (86.25) & M Hussey (83.87).

Clarke: Dhoni’s done it a number of times. The statistics don’t lie — average of over 50 and SR of over 90. We were definitely sloppy in the field.

Gambhir (MoM): It was an important game for us and it was good to beat Australia. Any runs against Australia are always special. Dhoni is a good finisher and we knew that if we set up a platform, he will finish it.

Dhoni: The timing I had on that six was just perfect. Even the World Cup we could have won with singles. I didn’t think we had left it too late. We wanted to wait till the end.

1639 IST: Ind 257-6 after 49 overs
M Dhoni 33 (55), Ashwin 0 (0)
ndia require another 13 runs with 4 wickets and 6 balls remaining. It comes down to this. Dhoni clearly struggling for fitness, maybe a case of the flu…

1636 IST: Ind 257-6 after 48.4 overs
R Jadeja c Ponting b Doherty 12 (8b)
Good, short knock from Jadeja. But he couldn’t hit the fours. India needs someone to do that or this may be over. Dhoni still batting on 33. India require another 13 runs with 4 wickets and 8 balls remaining.

1632 IST: Ind 251-5 after 48 overs
M Dhoni 32 (52), R Jadeja 9 (5)
India require another 17 runs with 5 wickets and 12 balls remaining. Big over for India — 10 runs came off it. Gives them a good chance now.

1627 IST: Ind 239-5 after 47 overs
M Dhoni 28 (49), R Jadeja 3 (2)
India require another 27 runs with 5 wickets and 18 balls remaining. Another good over for Australia — just 4 runs were given away. Dhoni is struggling to get the ball away and it’s costing India.

1623 IST: Ind 239-5 after 46.1 overs
S Raina b Doherty 38 (30b, 3×4, 1×6)
And that’s a wicket. Raina comes out of his crease but instead gets yorked by the full length. Clean bowled. Big wicket, Raina was looking very good, he was hitting the fours. Dhoni will have to step up now.

1618 IST: Ind 234-4 after 46 overs
S Raina 38 (29), M Dhoni 27 (46)
The partnership is already worth more than 50 but now India needs one big over to seal this or the tension will continue to mount. Another wicket and Australia will suddenly feel like they have a chance. Raina’s playing superbly. Dhoni’s not having his best day in the middle. India require another 31 runs with 6 wickets and 24 balls remaining.

1605 IST: Ind 217-4 after 43 overs
S Raina 29 (23), M Dhoni 13 (33)
India require another 53 runs with 6 wickets and 42 balls remaining. The last seven over remain, and this one looks like it will go down to the wire. India have the edge but a couple of wickets could change that. Dhoni needs to get his act together too. He’s struggled to get the ball away from the fielders.

1550 IST: Ind 194-4 after 39 overs
S Raina 15 (14), M Dhoni 6 (19)
India require another 76 runs with 6 wickets and 11.0 overs remaining. That’s the equation and also the only numbers that really matter. Dhoni and Raina are both four hitters and if they stay in long enough, winning shouldn’t be a problem. But can they stay there?

1528 IST: Ind 178-4 after 34.1 overs
G Gambhir lbw b McKay 92 (111b, 7×4)
Big wicket. Gambhir moved across the stumps and the ball eluded him and hit him in front of the stumps. It was a big, big wicket. The replays showed that the ball may have pitched outside the leg-stump but no DRS so no review. India require another 92 runs with 6 wickets and 15.5 overs remaining. This should be easy, right?

1518 IST: Ind 166-3 after 32.2 overs
R Sharma c Starc b Harris 33 (41b, 1×4, 1×6)
And India is playing well and suddenly they decide to throw the wicket away. Very similar to Kohli and to Sehwag. Why is it so difficult to just stay in the middle? Why do they feel the need to impress with hits to the boundary and beyond? He tried to loft over a deepish mid-off but fell well short.

1455 IST: Ind 134-2 after 27 overs
G Gambhir 70 (85) and R Sharma 17 (28)
The partnership is building slowly but it’s a partnership alright and that’s what counts. Rohit Sharma hasn’t hit a single four in his innings so far and that’s a good thing — the strike is rotating and he getting set as well. There is no need to play the big shots, at least no need yet.

1430 IST: Ind 90-2 after 18.1 overs
V Kohli c Forrest b McKay 18 (28b, 1×4)
Why do India’s batsmen have this strange fascination with hitting fours all the time? India were is a pretty comfortable position and suddenly Kohli decided to step out and hit the bowler over deep cover. He didn’t connect well enough and was caught by forest. The right-hander wasn’t able to score freely today but wasn’t it important to keep the partnership going. That was very selfish from Kohli.

1400 IST: Ind 65-1 after 14 overs
G Gambhir 36 (44), V Kohli 5 (19)
India have played out a total of 52 dot balls in their first 14 overs. Shows that the visitors are just not rotating the strike often enough. They will need to do that to prevent any build-up of pressure.

1345 IST: Ind 52-1 after 9.1 overs
V Sehwag c Hussey b McKay 20 (21b, 3×4)
Another leading edge and another long walk back to the pavilion for Virender Sehwag. Too many times in the series has Sehwag got the leading edge but after closing the face of the bat too early off a ball that was way down the leg-side. The best start of the series is over and now to see if the middle order can do the job. Kohli is in next.

1342 IST: Ind 44-0 after 8 overs
G Gambhir 20 (28), V Sehwag 20 (20)
44* is India’s best opening stand in any format in last 14 innings after the 176 between Gambhir-Sehwag at Indore, Dec 8. 2011. And that says a lot. The openers haven’t tried anything silly — Well, Sehwag has a few times but that’s how he plays. There’s no changing that. And this is looking like a really good batting wicket. If India can continue along the same path, they will win easily.

Indian innings
1309 IST: Ind 1-0 after 1 overs
G Gambhir 1 (6), V Sehwag 0 (0)
Anytime India is chasing 270-8, you would fancy their chances to win. But then you look at how they’ve batted outside the subcontinent in recent times and you are not quite sure. A win here will hopefully start them back on the path to playing their best cricket. It’s all about confidence for India at this stage.

1222 IST: Aus 269-8 after 50 overs
R Harris 2 (4)
Clint McKay was run out off the last ball of the innings but the damage was already done. India restricted the Aussies to 57 runs in the last ten overs. Brilliant bowling — lots of changes in pace and length did the trick. The bowlers have done their bit now it’s up to the batsmen to win this. It is a good batting track and if India play normal cricket, they have the edge.
Off twitter, @rgcricket: Highest successful chase at Adelaide:303-9 by SL v Eng in 1999,highest for India:239-8 v SL in 2008 #cricket #cbseries

1217 IST: Aus 265-7 after 49.2 overs
M Wade b Vinay Kumar 16 (18b, 1×4)
Wade goes for the slog, doesn’t connect, Vinay Kumar hits bullseye with his slower ball. The left-hander was just unable to get his timing right today and the dismissal was probably just.

1208 IST: Aus 254-6 after 47.4 overs
D Christian run out 39 (36b, 2×4)
Once again brilliant fielding does the trick. Super throw from Jadeja in the deep catches Christain well short of his ground. Dhoni hardly had to move an inch.

1153 IST: Aus 235-5 after 44.2 overs
D Hussey c Sehwag b Khan 72 (76b, 5×4)
WICKET! Sehwag takes a brilliant catch to send back Hussey on 72. Zaheer was the bowler. A welcome break for India and a much-needed one. The 300 may not come around very easily and India have done well in the last 4-5 overs. Wade is in next.
Off twitter, @mohanstatsman: India’s most successful run chases in Australia: 263/5 (48 ov) v NZ at Brisbane in Jan 1986 and 242/4 (45.4 ov) v Aus at SCG in Mar 2008

1134 IST: Aus 212-4 after 40 overs
D Hussey 61 (61), D Christain 19 (16)
Australia are continuing to motor on — in the last 10 overs, they have scored at faster than a run-a-ball and by that yardstick, the last ten overs, it will get even more manic. Hussey is looking very good and Christain has slipped into form pretty nicely too.

1111 IST: Aus 179-4 after 35.3 overs
P Forrest c Vinay Kumar b Yadav 66 (83b, 5×4, 2×6)
WICKET! Forrest falls after making 66. Didn’t connect well with the pull shot, Yadav strikes. The batting powerplay had just come into effect and how often do we see a wicket falling. Big wicket for India, all the more reason for Dhoni to have got the pacers into the attack earlier.

1108 IST: Aus 175-3 after 35 overs
P Forrest 62 (80), D Hussey 47 (50)
Australia’s batsmen seem to be getting better with every over and India now needs wickets. A breakthrough will allow them to control the innings a little better otherwise Hussey is capable of going pretty wild. Australia are getting 5-6 runs over pretty easily and the feeling is that Dhoni is allowing the game to drift. Meanwhile. Forrest got to this 50 on debut, the 11th Aussie batsman to do so.

1049 IST: Aus 145-3 after 30 overs
P Forrest 46 (64), D Hussey 33 (36)
The old rules would state that you just need to double the score after 30 overs in ODIs. Wonder if that still holds true in the T20 age? Anyway, both the Aussie batsmen have looked very much as ease against spin from both ends but Dhoni has persisted with spin. The fast bowlers are getting a prolonged rest.

1031 IST: Aus 115-3 after 24 overs
P Forrest 39 (50), D Hussey 10 (14)
Forrest has looked pretty good against spin — he’s not afraid to use his feet nor is he scared of rocking back in his crease and playing shots off the back foot. With spin in effect from both ends, he will be key. Hussey is a power player and he will save his best for later. For India, Umesh Yadav bowled a brilliant spell 6-1-18-1, hitting speeds as fast as 151.3 km/h.
Off twitter, @bowlologist: Big find for India speedster Yadav’s on this tour. Outswingers at 150kph great change of pace to undo MClarke. Great prospect

1013 IST: Aus 81-3 after 17.5 overs
M Clarke b Yadav 38 (43b, 5×4)
The Australian skipper is walking back to the hut after chopping a wide ball back on to the stumps. He started off very well, striking fours with ease (5 in his first 17 balls and then now a single one) but then a loss of momentum after the fall of Warner’s wicket seemed to put him off his game. It was a slower ball but Clarke was in the wrong position. Seemed like furstration finally got the better of him.

0958 IST: Aus 75-2 after 15 overs
M Clarke 34 (16), P Forrest 14 (17)
Australia looking to consolidate now. This is a good batting wicket; good enough for 300 and they wouldn’t want to get less on that. There is bounce in the wicket and little movement, the Indian batsmen should do pretty well too.
And off twitter, @mohanstatsman: MS Dhoni & Michael Clarke are the only two batsmen to average over 50+ as ODI captains, among those who have led in 30+ matches!

0938 IST: Aus 53-2 after 9.3 overs
DA Warner run out 18 (24b, 2×4)
Great fielding by Rohit at cover and India have a breakthrough. The visitors needed it too, both batsmen were looking good, Warner smacked the ball and set off only to see Rohit make a brilliant stop. After that both batsmen were stranded in the middle and Warner sacrificed his wicket.

0932 IST: Aus 51-1 after 8 overs
D Warner 17 (17), M Clarke 25 (17)
Ominous signs for India. They’ve got Ponting but Clarke has looked in sublime touch and Warner, strangely enough, has looked solid. The batsmen are dealing in boundaries and the quick outfield is helping.

0906 IST: Aus 14-1 after 3.1 overs
R Ponting c Kohli b Vinay Kumar 6 (14b, 1×4)
The experiment with Ponting opening the innings fails. He hit one from Vinay Kumar straight to Virat Kohli at backward point. Easy catch and Kohli made no mistake. Michael Clarke is in next.

0856 IST: Aus 4-0 after 1 overs
D Warner 3 (3), R Ponting 1 (3)
Ponting has opened the innings 6 times, scored 266 runs at an average of 66. But the reason he is being pushed up the order is not the impressive average. Australia want new man Peter Forrest to get a chance to bat well, so they accommodate him in the middle order.

Pre-match
And India have gone ahead and done it. They have ‘rested’ Sachin Tendulkar because they wanted to give the youngsters like Rohit Sharma a go. But when you consider that they are in the midst of a torrid losing streak, it makes one wonder if that is the correct decision.

We’ll know soon enough. For now, Australia have won the toss and elected to bat on what looks like a good batting track. Putting some big runs up is important. Australia also have one change in their team — Michael Hussey has been rested.

Meanwhile, Umesh Yadav also gets a game but no match for Irfan Pathan yet. It’s strange. The conditions in Australia should suit allrounders like Irfan but still he sits on the outside, waiting. He, reportedly, doesn’t have the captain’s confidence.

So many questions — it’s almost like no matter what Dhoni does these days, it will be questioned over and over again because everything just seems to be so wrong. At the toss, he mentioned that he wanted to Rohit Sharma another game while conveniently forgetting that the Mumbai batsman has averaged 74 in 14 matches since the World Cup. Suresh Raina in comparison has averaged just 29.

Australia (Playing XI):M Clarke(C), D Warner, M Wade, R Ponting, P Forrest, D Hussey, D Christian, R Harris, C McKay, M Starc, X Doherty.

India (Playing XI):MS Dhoni(C), G Gambhir, V Sehwag, V Kohli, R Sharma, S Raina, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Z Khan, V Kumar, U Yadav.