Shikhar Dhawan scores 2nd consecutive fifty as India look to post a formidable total

Shikhar Dhawan once again made his bat do the talking as he scored his second consecutive half-century against Australia at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Friday. He had scored a 91-ball 74 in the previous game in Mumbai and was the top-scorer for India. 

Dhawan started off well after the Men In Blue were once again asked to bat by Australian skipper Aaron Finch. Both Dhawan and Rohit Sharma added 81 runs for the opening wicket before Sharma was trapped plumb in front of the wicket by Adam Zampa for 42. The southpaw then continued to keep the scoreboard ticking along with skipper Virat Kohli as the duo added more than 50 runs for the second-wicket stand as the opener registered his 29th half-century in the 50-overs format. 

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A must-win match for India

India who had suffered a humiliating 10-wicket loss in Mumbai will need to win this one in order to stay alive in the series. Skipper Kohli would be hoping to get the better of leg-spinner Adam Zampa who has had his number in One Day Internationals on four occasions. The Indian bowlers would also be hoping to rediscover their rhythm after failing miserably in the previous game. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of this contest due to a concussion and KS Bharat has been roped in as his replacement. 

If Australia manage to win this one then they would seal the two-match series and the final match on Sunday will be a dead-rubber. The five-time world champions had beaten the Men In Blue 3-2 after having lost the first two games in March last year. 

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(Image Courtesy: BCCI Twitter)