Australia secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against India on Thursday, edging out the visitors by two wickets in a tense chase despite skipper Rohit Sharma's resilient 73. The victory, sealed in 46.2 overs after India posted 264 for nine, ended Australia's three-series losing streak in the format and exposed tactical flaws in India's lineup, particularly the exclusion of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. With the decider in Canberra on October 25 now a dead rubber, the result amplifies concerns over India's batting fragility and bowling balance ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Rohit's knock, off 97 balls with seven fours and two sixes, formed the bedrock of India's innings on a spicy pitch offering seam movement and variable bounce. Under pressure following a duck in the opener, the 37-year-old blended grit and grace, surviving a testing powerplay where Josh Hazlewood's probing lengths—including 17 dot balls—induced caution. Rohit consolidated early, flicking a boundary off Mitchell Starc before unleashing vintage pulls against Mitchell Owen, injecting momentum with 17 runs in one over. Shreyas Iyer supported with steady rotation, but the total fell short by 25 runs of a competitive par, undermined by Virat Kohli's second consecutive duck—trapped lbw by Xavier Bartlett's inswinger—and middle-order wobbles. Kohli, departing with a fist pump to Adelaide fans, where he has multiple Test tonnes and a World Cup century, appeared uncharacteristically subdued, raising questions about his form in this format.

Australia's pursuit stuttered against India's spin duo of Axar Patel (1/52) and Washington Sundar (2/37), with the hosts losing momentum as Renshaw charged and was bowled, while Carey fell sweeping. Matthew Short's anchoring 74 laid the platform, but a dropped catch by Axar off him proved costly. The game's pivot came via Nitish Reddy's all-round utility at No. 8—scoring 8 off 10 and conceding 24 in three overs—over a specialist like Kuldeep, whose wrist-spin could have exploited the turning track. Debutants Cooper Connolly (61 not out off 53) and Mitchell Owen (36 off 23) then orchestrated a match-winning 59-run stand in 6.3 overs, flaying pacers like Harshit Rana (2/59). Connolly's Bevan-esque composure in the pressure cooker, finding gaps amid a late collapse, underscored Australia's depth and IPL scouting acumen for these rising stars.

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The defeat reignites debates on India's obsession with all-rounders at the expense of proven match-winners, a strategy that faltered in tight chases. Rohit's post-powerplay flourish—slog sweeps and inside-out lofts off Adam Zampa—hinted at untapped potential, but his dismissal attempting a swivel-pull off Starc epitomised the innings' fragility. For Kohli, consecutive ducks mark a rare slump for the run machine, whose intensity seems waning. As India reflects, Australia's clinical finish, blending resilience and opportunism, positions them strongly in bilateral supremacy. The series loss, following a Perth thriller, tests Rohit's captaincy in rebuilding a side blending veterans with youth, with implications rippling to global events where tactical nous separates contenders from also-rans.

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