A 50-50 call went India’s way but little else did as George Bailey again helped Australia pull off a record Gabba run chase, sealing a seven-wicket win in Friday night’s second one-day international.
Last game centurion Bailey (76 not out) helped Australia eclipse India’s 308-8 with six balls to spare in front of 28,851 fans.
Australia reached 309-3 after 49 overs to establish a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. India looked to have reversed their fortunes when man-of-the-match Rohit Sharma (124) was adjudged not out on 89 despite a big knick to Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Made. It flew in the face of captain MS Dhoni’s view after the opening ODI loss that India were getting the raw end of 50-50 calls from umpires as payback for the team’s ongoing refusal to use the Decision Review System.
But India did not have much more luck, dropping Shaun Marsh four times as he set up the chase with a 145-run opening stand with Aaron Finch (both 71). India still gave themselves a sniff when Umesh Yadav bowled last game centurion Steve Smith (46) to reduce Australia to 3-244 in the 41st over. But Bailey picked up where he left off from his 112 in the first ODI to help Australia pull off the highest limited-overs run chase at the Gabba. The previous best was Australia’s 9-301 in January 2014 against England.
It marked the second straight game Australia had comfortably reeled in a 300-plus target set by India. Finch and Marsh put on Australia’s equal fifth-highest ODI opening partnership against India. Finch was magnificently caught by a diving Ajinkya Rahane at long on in the 25th over.
India had to try even harder to dismiss Marsh. Replacing David Warner (paternity leave), he was dropped on 19 and 69 and offered difficult chances on 22 and 57. His good fortune ran out in the 30th over when another simple chance was finally taken, this time off the recalled Ishant Sharma.
Earlier, Sharma backed up from his unbeaten 171 in Perth to notch the highest ODI score by an Indian opener at the Gabba and equal-fourth biggest overall at the Brisbane venue. He also shared a 121-run third-wicket stand with Rahane (89) and a 125-run second-wicket partnership with Virat Kohli (59).
James Faulkner (2-64) and Joel Paris (1-40) reeled in India, who lost 6-75 in the final 10 overs including four in the last two. The third ODI will be played on Sunday in Melbourne.
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