India head coach Gautam Gambhir was a pleased man after his side thwarted Australia’s hopes of registering their first series white-wash win over them during the third ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Saturday. Gambhir hailed the unbroken 168-run partnership between stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while also heaping praise on seamer Harshit Rana’s spell with the ball to set up the chase for India.
Chasing 237, India had lost captain Shubman Gill after a positive start, following which the under-fire veteran duo of Rohit and Virat adeptly took the game away from Australia. While Rohit cracked his 50th international hundred with his 33rd ODI ton, Kohli became the all-time highest run-getter in limited-overs internationals, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar.
Both former India captains were heading into the series with no game time since June 2025 and displayed their brilliance to wrap up the series. While Rohit’s form surged progressively across three innings, Kohli put the ghosts of two successive ducks with an unbeaten knock of 74 not out to seal the win for India.
In a dressing room video revealed by the BCCI on social media, Gambhir lauded Rohit and Kohli for their mature handling of the chase. With his 121 not out off 135 balls, Rohit bid farewell to Australian shores as the most successful visiting ODI batter in the country with six centuries. Rohit was handed the ‘Impact Player of the Match’ medal in the dressing room by the team’s S&C coach Adrian Le Roux.
“With the bat, I thought the partnership between Shubman and Rohit, it was very, very important, where we were 60 for no loss. And then, the partnership between Rohit and Virat was again outstanding, very clinical as well. And a special mention to Rohit, another hundred, outstanding. The most important thing was that you finished it off, and Virat as well,” said Gambhir in the video.
Gambhir was also full of praise for pacer Rana, who registered a vital four-wicket haul, amid growing backlash over his persistent selection across formats by fans on social media and several former cricketers.
“I thought we did everything; we ticked all the boxes. Especially, to start with, I thought the bowlers were outstanding. The kind of start Australia had, 63 for no loss after 10 overs, and from there to restricting them to 237 was an outstanding effort. And a special mention to Harshit. Harshit, that was an outstanding spell,” remarked Gambhir.
