Another Batting Collapse hands India their 4th defeat

Australia were  pleased with their batting.  The openers set the tone, with Warner coming back to score a brilliant 93,  the innings stalled with his dismissal. Smith and Maxwell played cameo knocks to take Australia to an imposing total of 348. What Australia did today was something that Dhoni was asking his batsman to do in the previous games, to get those extra 30  to 40 runs. Powered by centuries from Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, India seemed to be on course to register their first win over Australia in seven matches, but all that was to change courtesy one of their most dramatic collapses in recent memory. Kohli raced to his second century of the series, and he and Dhawan were involved in a massive 212-run stand that threw the inexperienced Australian bowling off-guard. But from there unfolded a collapse, which saw India lose nine wickets for 46 runs. This batting collapse of India probably tops their list of collapses. Dhoni should have stayed to guide the inexperienced low order batsman, knowing that Rahane may not be able to bat. Leading the collapse was Kane Richardson with a career best of 5/68. Earlier Aaron Finch’s century and late blitz by Maxwell, Australia reached a formidable total of 349. Smith opened with Lyon, Indian openers  were too comfortable.  2 overs from Lyon, India off to a brisk start.  Rohit using his feet lofted Lyon for  six over  long off and Shikar followed with a cover drive  to the boundary and India was off. For  the third time in the series, the team batting first scored a total in excess of 300. But for the first time, it was India chasing the runs, and as it turned out, they couldn't do it. A lot of credit must be given to Kohli and Shikar Dhawan though, who made run making ridiculously simple and probably Smith would have loved to call in reinforcements from bench to have extra men on boundary. That was class of strokeplay  from Kohli and Dhawan. When Dhoni and team sit down to analyze, the extra runs given with misfields, wides and overthrow and poor death bowling has made the difference between the Victory and defeat today at Manuka Oval.