Twitter Reactions: India ride on stupendous bowling performances to win by 50 runs

In what was a thrilling game at the Eden Gardens, India managed to defend a target of 253 to record their second consecutive victory against Australia. Earlier in the day, it was skipper Virat Kohli who won the toss as India elected to bat first. While India made no changes in the playing XI from the last game, Australia made two changes. James Faulkner made way for Kane Richardson while Ashton Agar replaced Adam Zampa.

India didn’t have a great start as Rohit Sharma was back to the pavilion owing to a soft dismissal. Captain Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane then combined for a splendid 102-run partnership for the second wicket. While Rahane was unfortunately run out, Kohli stayed on for a while before he was eventually dismissed for 92. MS Dhoni who has been in tremendous form lately failed to make a difference as India were reduced to 204/6. At the end, Hardik Pandya tried to steer India close to 250 but ended up getting out. However, Bumrah’s twin boundaries made sure India had 252 runs on the board.

Coulter-Nile was the pick amongst the Aussie bowlers with three wickets. Kane Richardson also got three wickets which included the crucial wickets of Dhoni and Pandya. Pat Cummins was quite economical as he had bowling figures of 1/34 in his quota of 10 overs. Ashton Agar also managed to get a wicket.

Australia who were chasing a target of 253 runs were welcomed to some solid spell of swing bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. Both seemed unplayable as Hilton Cartwright and David Warner fell prey to Bhuvneshwar leaving Australia reeling at 9/2.

That’s when skipper Steve Smith and Travis Head rescued the Aussies from a poor start. As Head got out, in came Glenn Maxwell. Like the last game, he again decided to go after Kuldeep Yadav as he smashed him for consecutive sixes. However, Chahal bowled cleverly as he got the better of Maxwell again like the last game. More action was to follow as Kuldeep Yadav took a splendid hattrick dismissing Mathew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins.

Marcus Stoinis fought a lone battle scoring a fifty to keep tiny hopes alive for Australia. However, the visitors ran out of wickets and ended up 50 runs short of the target. Indian bowlers were stupendous with Bhuvneshwar leading the pack getting 3/9 in 6.1 overs. Kuldeep bagged a hat-trick while Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal got a couple of wickets each.

Here are some of the amazing Twitter reactions during the course of the game.

.@imkuldeep18 & @yuzi_chahal didn't just bowl well but actually spun the game in India's favour! Superb batting @imVkohli & @ajinkyarahane88 pic.twitter.com/0mUKz4tnlf

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 21, 2017

Congratulations ?? Aussies fought hard with the ball in very tough conditions but once again struggled with the bat. Work to do.

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) September 21, 2017

और ये एक और शानदार जीत भारतीय खिलाड़ियों की। भारत अव्वल नम्बर पर। सब खिलाड़ियों को देश की तरफ़ से मुबारकबाद और धन्यवाद। शुभ नवरात्रि।???? pic.twitter.com/uo4KQR6wwK

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) September 21, 2017

WWhistlepodu for India! ??

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 21, 2017

Congratulations @imkuldeep18 well done chote on becoming the 3rd Indian to take a ODI hat-trick. #INDvAUS

— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) September 21, 2017

Marinated in a half century followed by a grilling spell of new ball bowling & garnished by the two spinners! Delicious, #TeamIndia ?@BCCI

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) September 21, 2017

Congratulations @imkuldeep18 on your terrific achievement at the special venue #EdenGardens always have something special to offer #Hattric

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 21, 2017

Half Century for Steve Smith on his hundredth ODI…

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 21, 2017

Kedar Jadhav played his part in the wicket of Steve Smith. Walked off, allowed Jadeja to come on and he took what was a tricky catch.

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) September 21, 2017

Good start by Bhuvi & Bumrah.The only way India can win this game is if they keep picking wkts which the bowlers are more than capable of..

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) September 21, 2017

Bhuvi, Bumrah, Chahal, Yadav & Pandya, with the flexibility of fielding another seamer. Inds bowling resources at an all time high #INDvAUS

— Behram Qazi (@Behram22) September 21, 2017

'Swinging' spell by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Get his IPL Captain, Warner. such a quality spell ! Joy to watch when he is in his element. #INDvAUS

— Vivek Kr. Srivastava (@VK_SRIVASTAV) September 21, 2017

Bhuvneshwar Kumar so far: 5-2-7-2. Not a fair reflection of his bowling. The last figure should have read 3. #IndvAus

— Shirin Sadikot (@ShirinSadikot) September 21, 2017

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is McGrath and Shaun Pollock of Indian team. bowls a good line and length.. #INDvAUS

— Writer Thakur (@IndianWriterV) September 21, 2017

As always, nothing funnier than Australians complaining about opposition players pushing the boundaries of fair play. #INDvAUS

— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) September 21, 2017

Gettable total for @CricketAus but runs in the first 30 overs are key as wicket looked challenging with the older ball. #INDvAUS

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) September 21, 2017

During break

Jadeja: Wat r u doing

Steve Smith: Booking tickets for back home

J: Main card no deta hun, meri bhi ek karna zara#INDvAUS

— SwatKat (@swatic12) September 21, 2017

Steve Smith's Reaction now #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/cbl9Mk1Nuq

— Aman (@Aryanjassi1) September 21, 2017

This is what Kuldeep Yadav did to Aussies.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/cLDVIWVpCK

— PhD in Bakchodi (@Atheist_Krishna) September 21, 2017

Spinners bowling with @msdhoni behind the stumps is like attempting a maths exam with access to R.S.Aggarwal or R.D.Sharma ? #IndvAus

— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) September 21, 2017

Hattrick for Kuldeep, 2nd Yadav to claim a hattrick today, Ramgopal Yadav was also expelled from SP for the third time today. ? #INDvAUS

— Rofl Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) September 21, 2017

Rohit Sharma once made more than this by himself at Eden Gardens! #INDvAUS

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) September 21, 2017

When you see Dhoni celebrating. pic.twitter.com/is8cGAsEa2

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 21, 2017

Main reason I like 2 spinners operating together is that Dhoni is up at the stumps, and close to the microphone???

— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) September 21, 2017

Overseas RCB player Travis Head bowling to former RCB player Manish Pandey with RCB skipper Virat Kohli at the non strikers end. #INDvAUS

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) September 21, 2017

Important innings for #Ajinkyarahane in the larger picture it seemed Runout was the only way to get out, and it does happen…#INDvAUS

— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) September 21, 2017

Ajinkya Rahane compiling a fabulously fluent innings.. stunning drives and now a cut! Hope he kicks on and won't succumb to a soft dismissal

— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) September 21, 2017

Kedar Jadhav must be feeling like Rajpal Yadav when running with Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. #INDvAUS

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) September 21, 2017

Rohit Sharma missed the double century by 193 runs.#INDvsAUS

— $!xF@c£ (@arumugamnataraj) September 21, 2017

Must find a way to get KL Rahul in the playing XI. Of either team.#INDvsAUS

— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) September 21, 2017

Bhogle summed it:The crowd will rise now.Because it's not a man who's missed out on a ? but a man who's scored 92

Whattay knock! #INDvAUS

— Manya (@CSKian716) September 21, 2017

Kedar got out and Eden Gardens erupted in joy…the power of MSD. Walking out to play his 300th ODI for Team India. Go well. #IndvAus

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 21, 2017

Kohli out in the 90s. One more proof that he's the next Sachin. #INDvAUS

— Sir Lazy (@iLazyLad) September 21, 2017

You have to give it to Kohli for navigating through a couple of testing spells early on and compiling another substantial score.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) September 21, 2017