Undaunted India pull level in series with Australia

There must have been a nasty sense of inevitability overtaking the Australian tourists in Nagpur as they watched Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan flail their bowlers to all parts.

It was the second time in the one-day series that India had chased down a target of more than 350 as they levelled the series at 2-2 with one match to play – in Bangalore on Saturday. They won by four wickets with three balls remaining, but the result was achieved more easily than the statistics suggest.

Australia had piled up an imposing total of 350 for 6 in their 50 overs with a hugely impressive knock from the captain, George Bailey, who made 156 off 133 balls with 18 fours and six sixes. He shared a third-wicket stand of 168 with Shane Watson (102).

But as they had done in the second match of the series, the Indian batsmen were undaunted by their task. Dhawan made a fine 100, putting on 178 with his fellow opener Rohit Sharma (79), while Kohli was unstoppable on his way to an unbeaten 115 off 66 balls.

In the second match, India had chased down 360 for the loss of just one wicket with Sharma and Kholi hitting centuries and Dhawan 95.