Dhawan 143 sets Australia 359 to level series

Shikhar Dhawan smashed his 16th ODI hundred, thus signalling a return to form after a run of not-so-impressive scores, as India amassed 358 for 9 after electing to bat first on a dream pitch for batsmen in Mohali.

The pitch was a massive ally for the batsmen, but Dhawan ensured that he did not get carried away. Dhawan had gone 17 ODIs without a hundred, but ensured he did not let this one slip. He hit rhythm early, helped by Pat Cummins bowling a few to his pads. He did not let that momentum slip over the course of his innings, regularly hitting boundaries and finding gaps on the big outfield.

It allowed Rohit Sharma, with whom Dhawan shared a stand of 193 for the opening wicket, to feel his way into the game. Dhawan struck at over run-a-ball from almost the very beginning, while Rohit caught up soon after, breaking shackles with a six in the last over of the first powerplay.

From there on, the openers were in cruise control. Dhawan brought up his fifty off 44 balls, while Rohit brought his up a little later. Dhawan continued to dominate the bowlers and scored boundaries at will, while Rohit slowly moved himself into a place from where a big hundred looked almost inevitable. He was on 95 when a pull off Jhye Richardson looked destined for the stands, but it went to Handscomb at mid-wicket.

Dhawan continued unperturbed. He brought up his hundred with a paddle off Zampa for four. The left-hander also allowed KL Rahul, in another middle order auction and one of four changes for the home team in this match, to play himself in. The right-hander was content rotating strike as Dhawan ran riot at the other end. He took Jason Behrendorff for two fours and a six to notch up his highest ever ODI score, before being out bowled by Pat Cummins for 143. His knock contained 18 fours and 3 sixes.

Dhawan's wicket robbed India of their momentum, however. Virat Kohli stuck around only for five balls before chasing a wide one off the sixth and edging a catch behind off Richardson. Rishabh Pant came in to give the innings a small boost. He carted Richardson for three fours in an over as India went past the 300 run mark in the 43rd over.

But when he fell to Cummins in the 46th, after scoring 36 off 23, the boundaries dried up for India. Vijay Shankar helped end the drought, by hitting Richardson for a six and a four in the penultimate over. He added a six in the final over while Jasprit Bumrah wrapped the innings up with another as India ended with a daunting score.

Brief Scores: India 358/9 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 143, Pat Cummins 5-70) vs Australia.