File photo of Ishant Sharma (right).
As India gear up for the tour-opening three-match ODI series, starting November 27, here is looking back at some of the highlights since India's landmark Tri-Series triumph in 2008, beating Australia 2-0 in the best-of-three finals.
While India's form since then has ebbed and flowed, they were no longer pushovers and they showed that by winning the ODI series 2-1 on their last tour of Australia in 2018-19. With quite a few players from that stock participating this time too, the mood will be great and hopes high.
Here's a look at some of the great bowling spells:
Got 'em on bouncing: Ishant 4/38 (MCG, 2008):
India set the tone early in the tri-series they eventually won by knocking Aussie batting down at the MCG. The pace trio Ishant Sharma, Irfan Pathan and S Sreesanth reduced the top-order to 75 for five as the hosts folded for 159 in 43.1 overs. The Indians chased down the total in 45.5 overs, losing just five wickets. Ishant picked three of the top five wickets -- Matthew Hayden, skipper Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds. Hayden was dismissed caught behind while playing the drive while Ponting was outbounced as he fell at slips while pushing at the ball. The dangerman Symonds, too, was surprised by the extra bounce and fell caught behind.
Result: India won by five wickets.
Bhajji puts the brakes: Harbhajan Singh 2/38 (SCG, 2008):
File photo of Harbhajan Singh.
This was the first of the best-of-three finals of the tri-series and after being pegged back, losing three early wickets with the score on just 24, Australia parried through a 100-run stand between Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden. However, Harbhajan pitched in for India, removing both. His on-field altercation with Andrew Symonds that eventually snowballed into Monkeygate earlier in the Test series, made the wicket even more special for him. Symonds holed out a delivery outside off straight to deep midwicket while Hayden was caught on the sweep. Aussies were set back and could make just 239/8 which India overhauled on the back of a brilliant hundred by Sachin Tendulkar.
Result: India won by six wickets.
PK swings it India's way: Praveen Kumar 4/46 (The Gabba, 2008):
File photo of Praveen Kumar (left).
India's total of 258 for nine would not have sufficed had it not been for Praveen Kumar's four-wicket spell. The right-arm seam and swing bowler got the first three wickets, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke as Aussies were reduced to 32 for three and could never recover from there, eventually falling short by nine runs. Gilchrist was snared with a delivery that moved away and took the edge of the bat for a caught behind. Skipper Ricky Ponting was caught at mid-on while trying to pull a ball that stopped on him. Michael Clarke was beaten by a straight delivery that kept low and was bowled.
Result: India won by nine runs.
Yuzi turns it around: Yuzvendra Chahal 6/42 (The MCG, 2019):
File photo of Yuzvendra Chahal.
The leg-spinner came in at the right time to scuttle Australia's hopes of setting a huge total. After Bhuvneswar Kumar had picked a couple of early wickets to reduce Australia to 27 for two wickets, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh set about rebuilding the innings, putting on 73. But Chahal chipped in with three 6+quick wickets to leave Aussies stuttering at 123 for five. He then picked three more at the back-end to skittle them out for 230 in 48.4 overs. His first wicket was that of Shaun Marsh, who was out stumped while trying to whip a delivery wide down the leg. Then, he was out while trying to work the delivery down the leg as the ball took the leading edge and went straight back to the bowler. Marcus Stoinis was dismissed off a fizzing leg-break as he tried to turn the ball on to the leg-side and was caught by the bowler.
Result: India won by seven wickets to win series.
