IND v AUS Live Score: Steve Smith century propels Australia to 389 for 4 after 50 overs

Australia’s Steve Smith continued to torment the Indian bowlers, bringing up his second consecutive century in the second ODI at Sydney. In a rather incredible coincidence, the former Aussie skipper brought his hundred off exactly the same number of balls as in the first ODI as Australia posted another mammoth total, scoring 389 for 4.

Coming into bat after skipper Aaron Finch (60) and David Warner (83) featured in yet another century stand, Steve Smith smashed 14 fours and two sixes in his innings, never looking in any trouble during the knock.

With the platform set, Steve Smith kept taking on the bowlers and kept finding the boundaries with ease. The Indians just did not have an answer to Steve Smith’s heroics as he tackled all bowlers without much trouble, frustrating the Indian camp in the process.

So desperate did the situation get, Kohli was forced to turn to pacer Hardik Pandya, who had stated after the first match that he wasn’t going to rush back to the bowling crease. Although Pandya clearly did not bowl at full-throttle, it was he who eventually found a way past Steve Smith with a wide slower ball, which the batsman edged to short third man.

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne put together 136-run partnership

Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne featured in a 136-run stand for the third wicket as the latter contributed an impressive 70 from 61. For the second game in a row, Glenn Maxwell played a scintillating cameo to push India further back. He finished unbeaten on 63 from 29 balls with four fours and as many sixes as Australia ended up on 389 for 4.

The Indian bowlers struggled yet again. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal conceded 71 in his nine overs while Navdeep Saini was taken for 70 in his 7. Mohammed Shami (1/73) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/79) too had poor outings.

India were poor in the field again with Ravindra Jadeja and Shami dropping catches.