India vs Australia 2020: Backed my natural game in series decider, says Rohit Sharma

India beat Australia in the third and final ODI comfortably by seven wickets despite being a batsman short. The visitors, despite a century from Steve Smith, could only manage 286 in their 50 overs. In reply, Rohit Sharma put on a batting masterclass as he scored 119 and was ably supported by Virat Kohli (89) to set up India's win. Sharma later revealed that he had backed his natural game in the final ODI and it paid off in the end. He added that he had tried to force the issue and play out of his comfort zone which cost him his wicket in the first two matches. However, this time around, he was ready to stay in and attack the poor deliveries.

"On days like this, if it comes off, it looks good," said Sharma after picking up the Man of the Match award.

"The first two games, I was trying to do something different, and it didn't come off. Today, I just wanted to be there, and I was able to stay till 35th or 36th over," he added.

With Shikhar Dhawan getting injured in the field, India were already one batsman short and the wicket of KL Rahul meant that had Australia got another one out of either Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli out, they would have had a crack at the inexperienced middle-order.

Keeping that in mind, the two Indian batting stalwarts took calculated risks and added 137 runs for the second wicket, absorbing all the pressure and bringing in all the experience they had of being at the top of their game for so many years.

"It was an important game, the decider, and we wanted to come out and enjoy ourselves. To keep that Australian batting under 290 was a great effort. Once KL got out, it needed nobody better than the captain himself," Rohit asserted.

"The talk we had in the middle was that one of us wanted to keep going. At no stage, did we want the momentum to go towards the opposition. I was middling the ball well, and I said I would be the one to take the chances," he concluded.