NAGPUR - Virat Kohli-led India remain unbeaten versus Australia at VCA Stadium, Nagpur with another victory under their belt on Tuesday. Defending 251, India restricted the visitors for 242 all-out.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s 40th ODI century and bowlers’ collective effort took hosts to a 8-run victory over Australia at Nagpur in the second of the five-match series on Tuesday. Put into bat first, India got off to a poor start but managed 250 all-out in 48.2 overs riding on Kohli’s sublime century (116 off 120 balls). In reply, Australian batsmen got off to starts but no one held onto their ends till the end to take their side through. As a result, the Men in Yellow folded for 242 in 49.3 overs.

Australian openers -- Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja -- got the team off to a positive start. A 50-run stand took them ahead in the moderate chase. India’s pacers -- Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami -- erred with their line and lengths at regular basis. As a result, Kohli introduced his spinners in form of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in a bid to slow the tempo. The openers looked at ease before Finch went for a sweep, off Kuldeep, and was trapped lbw for 37.

This triggered Australia’s downfall. Khawaja (38) followed suit with a soft dismissal off Kedar Jadhav. It was a lapse in concentration from the left-hander who gave a simple catch to the Indian skipper at short covers. The onus rested on Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb. Marsh, who had played Kuldeep with ease in the reverse series at home, was content to start with singles. Handscomb also didn’t take any risk and the duo tried to rebuild.

Against the run of play, Jadeja got rid of Marsh. It was a delivery drifitng down the pads, but got a thick edge off the left-hander who went for a flick and was caught by MS Dhoni. In-form Glenn Maxwell’s innings never took off and was outfoxed by Kuldeep.

At one stage, it looked like Alex Carey and Marcus Stoinis would walk off with a win with the asking rate well under control. However, Kuldeep had the final laugh after going for a few in the previous overs. Eventually, Bumrah and Shami got their acts right and dented Australia’s chase but it was Vijay Shankar’s all-roud show that will remain itched in everyone’s mind. It was upto him to defend 11 off 6 balls and he did it in style. Shankar trapped Stoinis on a seam-up delivery who missed the length completely to be adjudged lbw. The all-rounder wrapped Australia’s innings with a brilliant yorker to rattle Adam Zampa’s stumps.

India’s innings was led by Kohli’s 40th century. He found an able partner in Shankar (46) whereas Shikhar Dhawan and Ravindra Jadeja contrinuted with 21 apiece.

While Kohli’s 116 was the difference between both sides, the turning point was the spin trio of Jadhav, Jadeja and Kuldeep who shared five wickets among themselves (apart from Jadeja’s run-out to send Handscomb packing). In addition, this becomes India’s 500th ODI victory.

Scorecard

INDIA:
R Sharma c Zampa b Cummins 0
S Dhawan lbw b Maxwell 21
V Kohli c Stoinis b Cummins 116
A Rayudu lbw b Lyon 18
V Shankar run out 46
K Jadhav c Finch b Zampa 11
M Dhoni c Khawaja b Zampa 0
R Jadeja c Khawaja b Cummins 21
Kuldeep Yadav b Cummins 3
M Shami not out 2
J Bumrah b Coulter-Nile 0
EXTRAS: (b1, lb7, w4) 12
TOTAL: (all out; 48.2 overs) 250
FOW: 1-0, 2-38, 3-75, 4-156, 5-171, 6-171, 7-238, 8-248, 9-249, 10-250
BOWLING: P Cummins 9-2-29-4, N Coulter-Nile 8.2-0-52-1, G Maxwell 10-0-45-1, A Zampa 10-0-62-2, N Lyon 10-0-42-1, M Stoinis 1-0-12-0
AUSTRALIA:
A Finch lbw b Kuldeep 37
U Khawaja c Kohli b Jadhav 38
S Marsh c †Dhoni b Jadeja 16
P Handscomb run out 48
GJ Maxwell b Kuldeep Yadav 4
M Stoinis lbw b Shankar 52
AT Carey b Kuldeep 22
N Coulter-Nile b Bumrah 4
P Cummins c Dhoni b Bumrah 0
N Lyon not out 6
A Zampa b Shankar 2
EXTRAS: (lb3, w10) 13
TOTAL: (all out ; 49.3 overs) 242
FOW: 1-83, 2-83, 3-122, 4-132, 5-171, 6-218, 7-223, 8-223, 9-240 (, 10-242
BOWLING: M Shami 10-0-60-0, J Bumrah 10-0-29-2, R Jadeja 10-0-48-1, V Shankar 1.3-0-15-2, Kuldeep Yadav 10-0-54-3, K Jadhav 8-0-33-1
TOSS:
UMPIRES: Kumar Dharmasena, Nitin Menon
TV UMPIRE: Joel Wilson
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle