Kohli, Rohit claim perfect send-off with huge SCG win

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have signed off from cricket in Australia in style, leading India to a thumping nine-wicket win at the SCG.

In what will almost certainly be the pair’s last match in Australia, Rohit hit an unbeaten 121 and Kohli remained 74 not out as India chased down 237 with 11.3 overs to spare.

The pair’s farewell 169-run partnership ensured Australia would not claim a historic first clean sweep over India in a bilateral ODI series, with the hosts still running out 2-1 victors.

There was a minor scare for Australia late, with Josh Hazlewood appearing to dislocate a finger on his non-bowling hand ahead of the Ashes attempting a catch.

But in reality Saturday night was always going to be about Kohli at a sold-out SCG.

India fans were chanting his name as Shubman Gill and Rohit started fast, and cheered when Gill was caught behind for 24 with India 1-69.

That roar was only eclipsed when Kohli scored a run off his first ball and pumped the air, breaking a run of back-to-back ducks in India’s losses in Perth and Adelaide.

There were signs of Kohli’s best early when he cut Adam Zampa for four, before a lovely straight drive off Mitchell Starc that went to the boundary.

Kohli survived an lbw review on 35 on umpire’s call on height, and brought up his half-century off 56 balls.

At the other end, Rohit was flying.

The opener took to Adam Zampa, sweeping him over the rope twice and producing another six when he lifted the legspinner over long-off.

He hit Starc to the boundary four times in the left-armer’s first three overs, and drove Nathan Ellis over mid-off for another four.

Horribly out of form on last year’s Test tour, Rohit brought up his century from 105 balls when he pushed Zampa down the ground.

Since last summer, both he and Kohli have retired from Test cricket, with the ODI format their only international commitments from here on.

And in what will almost certainly be the pair’s last game in the country, Kohli had the final say when he uppercut Ellis for four to finish off the chase in the 39th over.

The duo’s partnership was fitting, given only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more ODI runs than Rohit and Kohli in history.

India’s win came after Australia failed to make the most of a solid base on Saturday afternoon, collapsing from 3-183 to be all out for 236 in the 47th over.

Matt Renshaw top-scored for Australia with 56, while Mitch Marsh produced the only six of the innings with a booming pull shot, before being bowled by Axar Patel for 41.

But a collapse of 7-53 meant the hosts were always up against it with the ball, Harshit Rana doing the bulk of the late-overs damage with 4-39.