I think Bumrah and Bhuvi are probably two of the best death bowlers: Steve Smith

The Indian team put up an incredible performance last night to defeat the Aussies in the 3rd ODI to clinch the 5-match series. And a key cog of that win was the bowling department. The tight and nifty bowling spells in the last ten overs proved decisive in India winning the match. The Men in Blue were chasing the game for the first 38 overs. But the bowlers pulled the strings back, conceding just 69 runs off the last 12 overs to shift the pendulum in favour of the hosts.

Their performance serves as a testament to how good the current crop of Indian bowlers is. And Australia skipper Steve Smith had no qualms in admitting the death overs of its batting essay as a case of “poor execution” by his team and “outstanding execution” by the Indian bowlers. In fact, he went on to laud the pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

“I think Bumrah and Bhuvi are probably two of the best death bowlers going around, particularly when the wicket sort of slows up a little bit. We still need to find a way. We set a template really well. The first 38 overs were magnificent. We set it up and we just weren’t to execute it in the back end,” Smith said at the post-match conference.

“We keep talking to each other, discussing what the wicket is doing and what kind of deliveries we should be bowling. They are outstanding – they bowl equally well at the start and at the death. It’s amazing to have guys like that. It gives me the confidence to go all out and express myself,” the 28-year-old skipper further added.

India climbs to number 1 spot

With the win, Team India maintained their unbeaten run in Indore and have now recorded sixth consecutive ODI series wins since June 2016. The Men in Blue who were already number one in the Test format replaced South Africa at the top of ODI ranking table by taking their tally to 120 points, one more than the Proteas.