Rohit, Dhawan power India to 358/9 vs Australia (Lead)

Mohali, March 10 (IANS) Riding openers', Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, scintillating knocks, India posted a mammoth 358/9 against Australia in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) contest of the five-match rubber, here on Sunday.

Both Dhawan (143 off 115) and Rohit (95 off 92) were in brilliant touch right from the start and also recorded the highest opening stand (193) for India against Australia. The duo hammered every visiting bowler before Rohit fell, five short of his hundred.

However, Dhawan maintained his aggressiveness, taking every bowler to cleaners.

Indian openers started cautiously before they accelerated the innings to race away to 55 runs in just 9.2 overs. The duo seemed brutal as most bowlers were hammered to every part of the park and lifted the team to 100 runs in 17.2 overs.

Continuing their sensible and destructive play, the duo took India near the 200-run mark before pacer Jhye Richardson came with a big breakthrough. He sent back a well-settled Rohit in the 31st over.

Rohit's knock contained seven boundaries and two sixes.

Dhawan, however, continued attacking the Aussies as India crossed the 250-run mark in next six overs. Pat Cummins gave his side some respite as he bowled out Dhawan in the 38th over.

India lost skipper Virat Kohli (7 off 6) with the scorecard reading 266/3.

In the last 10 overs, stumper Rishabh Pant (36 off 24), Lokesh Rahul (26 off 31) and Vijay Shankar (26 off 15) made some valuable contributions before the lower order fell like a pack of cards. But by that time India was able to post a mammoth target.

For Australia, Cummins bagged five wickets, leaking 70 runs, while Richardson scalped three for 85 runs.

Brief scores: India 358/9 (Shikhar Dhawan 143, Rohit Sharma 95; Pat Cummins 5/70) against Australia.