The series has proved to be the death of bowlers. Ball-tampering is starting to look more acceptable with each passing 300+ run chase.
Virat Kohli stole the show with his 66 ball 115, scoring his 17th ODI century. Almost 25, Virat Kohli is India's current best batsman, at least in ODIs. He was stylish and loud with his strokeplay and completely eclipsed a utilitarian 156 off 114 from George Bailey.
Bailey seems a soft spoken, quiet and an unfussy individual. But in India, such people do get squished. En route to his 156 he became the highest run scorer as captain in a bilateral series.
Albeit he scored these 474 runs on pitches as dead as the Terminator franchise, he has been performing for Australia quite consistently. After 34 matches, he averages 56.85 in ODIs. His last 15 innings include 2 centuries, 7 half centuries of which 2 are 90+ scores and 3 not outs. Looking at the names he outscored to get the above mentioned record, Bailey is certainly a good batsman. With his recent knocks, he also makes a case for a Test spot. He has a short back lift, plays late and isn't lured into playing extravagant drives. Nothing suggests he can't do well in Tests.
10 Highest run scoring Captains in a bilateral series
| As a Captain in Bilateral Series |
Mat |
Inns |
NO |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
BF |
SR |
100 |
50 |
0 |
Winner |
| G Bailey (Australia in India ODI series, 2013/14) |
5 |
5 |
1 |
474 |
156 |
118.5 |
400 |
118.5 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
- |
| AB de Villiers (Pakistan in South Africa ODI series, 2012/13) |
5 |
5 |
1 |
367 |
128 |
91.75 |
395 |
92.91 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
South Africa |
| K Wessels (India in South Africa ODI series, 1992/93) |
7 |
7 |
0 |
342 |
78 |
48.85 |
668 |
51.19 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
South Africa |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq (India in Pakistan ODI series, 2003/04) |
5 |
5 |
0 |
340 |
123 |
68 |
348 |
97.7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
India |
| G Gambhir (New Zealand in India ODI series, 2010/11) |
5 |
5 |
2 |
329 |
138* |
109.66 |
298 |
110.4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
India |
| AB de Villiers (Sri Lanka in South Africa ODI series, 2011/12) |
5 |
5 |
2 |
329 |
125* |
109.66 |
263 |
125.09 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
South Africa |
| M Jayawardene (Natwest series-Sri Lanka in England ODI series, 2006) |
5 |
5 |
2 |
328 |
126* |
109.33 |
322 |
101.86 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Sri Lanka |
| A Cook (Pakistan v England ODI series in U.A.E., 2011/12) |
4 |
4 |
0 |
323 |
137 |
80.75 |
363 |
88.98 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
England |
| A Strauss (NatWest series-Pakistan in England ODI series, 2010) |
5 |
5 |
0 |
317 |
126 |
63.4 |
340 |
93.23 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
England |
| R Dravid (Sri Lanka in India ODI series, 2005/06) |
6 |
6 |
4 |
312 |
103* |
156 |
342 |
91.22 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
India |
The series now stands 2-2 with one more game to go. Maybe he can follow 8 out of the other 9 captains in the table and win the series. Inzamam was never one to be followed. Sympathy demands the poor white chap who has scored runs for his team in a few losing causes win the series. He'll have to win the toss and bowl first.
Stats by: Karna Yajnik