AI Simulation, IND vs AUS | Gill-Kohli fall short as resilient Aussies seal clean sweep with 15-run win

Pitch and Weather

Sydney offered a firm surface with a thin grass layer, allowing early seam for new-ball bowlers before flattening out under lights. The outfield was quick, and the air cool at 22°C with negligible humidity – ideal batting weather, but with just enough grip later for the spinners to come into play.

Toss

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, banking on scoreboard pressure and the prospect of spin assisting them in the second half.

Lineups

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

Australia: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Match Report

Batting first under perfect skies, Australia got off to a rollicking start as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh punished anything short or wide. Head’s timing through the covers was imperious, bringing up his fifty in just 44 balls, while Marsh complemented him with a mix of aggression and placement. The pair added 135 for the opening wicket before Kuldeep Yadav finally broke through, trapping Marsh for 67. India clawed back with Siraj’s disciplined seam bowling, removing Head for 92 after a mistimed pull that found deep mid-wicket. However, late cameos from Alex Carey (34 off 29) and Cooper Connolly (27 off 22) propelled Australia to a formidable 306/7. Kuldeep (2/60) and Siraj (3/56) were the pick of the bowlers, but the visitors leaked boundaries in the final overs.

Chasing 307, India began with promise. Rohit Sharma’s 45 off 48 balls provided the early tempo, while captain Shubman Gill anchored calmly at one end. When Virat Kohli joined him, the chase looked under control – their partnership of 97 blended fluency with intent, forcing Australia momentarily on the defensive. But Adam Zampa’s clever changes of pace removed Kohli for 63, and Mitchell Starc’s return in the death overs turned the game. Starc’s pinpoint yorker dismissed Gill on 88, effectively ending India’s hopes. Despite late resistance from KL Rahul and Axar Patel, the visitors finished at 291/9, 15 runs short of the target.

Australia’s bowlers shared the spoils – Starc (3/52), Zampa (2/47) and Bartlett (2/45) – as they sealed a deserved series sweep. India, though improved from Perth and Adelaide, again faltered in key moments with both bat and ball.

Player of the Match

Travis Head's 92 off jsut 78 deliveries set the platform for Australia’s commanding total with blistering strokeplay at the top.

Scorecard