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OVERS 45.4: OUT! Rohit (133) pulls to mid-wicket for Maxwell to take the catch. India 221/7

OVERS 45.3: FOUR! Rohit mistimes a hit over mid-off for his tenth boundary

OVERS 44.1: OUT! Jadeja (8) cuts a Richardson delivery to deep point for Shaun Marsh to take the catch. India 213/6

OVERS 43.6: FOUR! Rohit pulls to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 43.5: BIG HIT! Rohit hits a Stoinis delivery over mid-wicket into the crowd

OVERS 42.3: BIG HIT! Lyon continues. Rohit hits over long-on for his fifth six

OVERS 41.6: Four byes are conceded

OVERS 39.5: 22nd ODI century for Rohit Sharma as he flicks behind square leg for two. WHAT A KNOCK!

OVERS 39.2: OUT! Dinesh Karthik (12) edges a Richardson delivery onto his stumps. India 176/5

OVERS 38.5: FOUR! Rohit scoops over short fine-leg to move to 98

OVERS 38.4: FOUR! Rohit pulls to the mid-wicket fence for another boundary

OVERS 38.2: FOUR! Siddle brought back, Rohit pulls to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 32.2: OUT! Behrendorff traps Dhoni (51) plumb in front. India 141/4. Replays show the ball was pitched outside leg stump, but India don't have reviews left

OVERS 31.1: FOUR! 68th ODI fifty for Dhoni as he on drives for his third boundary

OVERS 29.5: BIG HIT! Rohit comes down the pitch off Lyon and hits over long-on into the crowd

OVERS 28.6: FOUR! Rohit hits over mid-off for another boundary

OVERS 28.2: FOUR! Rohit goes down on one knee and scoops to the fine leg fence

Jason Behrendorff replaces Jhye Richardson in the attack

100-run stand up between Rohit and Dhoni off 136 deliveries

100 up for India in 25.2 overs

OVERS 23.5: FOUR! 38th ODI fifty for Rohit as cuts to the point fence. That's his sixth ODI fifty against Australia

OVERS 23.3: FOUR! Dhoni sweeps from outside off-stump to the square leg fence

Glenn Maxwell replaces Stoinis in the attack

OVERS 22.2: FOUR! Siddle continues, Rohit drives on the up through the covers

OVERS 20.1: FOUR! Siddle back in the attack, Dhoni square cuts for four

50-run stand up between Rohit and Dhoni as Stoinis replaces Siddle in the attack

OVERS 16.6: BIG HIT! Rohit charges down the pitch and hits a Lyon delivery over mid-wicket for his third six

OVERS 14.5: BIG HIT! Dhoni charges down the pitch and smashes a Lyon delivery over long-on for his first six

OVERS 13.4: BIG HIT! Siddle pitches it short and Rohit effortlessly pulls over square leg for his second six

Nathan Lyon has been introduced in the attack

10 overs gone, first Powerplay over, India 21/3

Peter Siddle replaces Jhye Richardson in the attack

OVERS 5.6: 10,000 ODI runs for Dhoni for India as he gets off the mark with a single

OVERS 4.5: BIG HIT! Rohit Sharma get off the mark off a free hit delivery which he flicks over deep square leg

India in trouble, MS Dhoni is the new man in and Rohit Sharma is yet to get off the mark

OVERS 3.5: OUT! Ambati Rayudu is trapped plumb in front by Richardson for a duck, the umpire raises his finger, he takes a review, but the replays show the ball was going to hit the stumps. India 4/3

OVERS 3.2: OUT! Virat Kohli (3) flicks to short square-leg for Stoinis to take the catch off Jhye Richardson. India 4/2

OVER 0.6: OUT! Shikhar Dhawan falls for a golden duck as he is trapped plumb in front by Jason Behrendorff. India 1/1

Jason Behrendorff bowls the first over, Rohit Sharma on strike

Australia score 288/5 in their 50 overs

OVERS 49.5: FOUR! Maxwell flicks to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 49.3: FOUR! Stoinis edges to the third man fence

OVERS 49.1: BIG HIT! Bhuvneshwar gives a juicy full toss and Stoinis pulls over mid-wicket for his second six

OVERS 48.2: FOUR! Stoinis pulls a Shami delivery to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 47.2: OUT! Handscomb (73) hits to sweeper cover for Dhawan to take the catch. Australia 254/5

OVERS 47.1: BIG HIT! Handscomb pulls a Bhuvneshwar delivery over fine leg for his third six

OVERS 45.6: FOUR! Handscomb hits a Bhuvneshwar delivery behind square leg

50-run stand up between Handscomb and Stoinis off 50 balls

OVERS 45.2: FOUR! Handscomb hits a Bhuvneshwar delivery over the covers

OVERS 43.6: BIG HIT! 50 up for Handscomb as he hits a Kuldeep delivery over long-on for another six

OVERS 43.3: BIG HIT! Stoinis goes down on one leg and hits a Kuldeep delivery over long-on for the first six of the match

200 up for Australia in 41.2 overs

Shami replaces Bhuvneshwar in the attack

OVERS 37.3: OUT! Marsh (54) hits a Kuldeep delivery to Shami at long-on. Australia 186/4

Kuldeep replaces Khaleel in the attack

50-run stand up between Marsh and Handscomb off 49 deliveries

OVERS 35.5: FOUR! Handscomb cover drives for his fourth boundary, lovely timing

OVERS 35.2: FOUR! 13th ODI fifty for Marsh as he pulls a Khaleel delivery to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 34.2: FOUR! Handscomb pulls past mid-on for his third boundary

OVERS 34.1: FOUR! Handscomb square drives a Bhuvneshwar delivery

OVERS 33.2: FOUR! Marsh hits a Khaleel delivery over point to move to 46

Khaleel replaces Shami in the attack

Bhuvneshwar replaces Jadeja in the attack

150 up for Australia in 32 overs

OVERS 30.6: FOUR! Peter Handscomb hits a Jadeja delivery through the covers for his first boundary

OVERS 28.2: OUT! Khawaja (59) goes for the sweep, is hit on the pad, Jadeja appeals, umpire gives it out, Khawaja goes for the review and the replays show Khawaja is plumb in front

OVERS 25.2: Fifth fifty for Khawaja as he taps to square leg for a single. That's his first ODI fifty in Australia and he has got it off 70 deiveries

Khaleel is back in the attack

OVERS 23.3: FOUR! Khawaja pulls another short delivery over short fine leg

OVERS 23.1: FOUR! Rayudu continues, Khawaj pulls to the fine leg boundary

OVERS 22.5: FOUR! 100 up for Australia as Khawaja reverse hits a Jadeja delivery to the point fence

Ambati Rayudu has been introduced in the attack

50-run stand up between Khawaja and Marsh off 61 deliveries

OVERS 19.4: FOUR! Marsh cuts a Kuldeep delivery to the point boundary

Jadeja concedes three runs in his first over

Ravindra Jadeja replaces Mohammed Shami in the attack

OVERS 15.6: FOUR! Kuldeep drags it short and Khawaja pulls to the mid-wicket fence

OVERS 14.2: FOUR! 4 byes are conceded, a rare error by MS Dhoni behind the stumps as the ball did not bounce

OVERS 12.4: FOUR! Shami continues, Marsh flicks through mid-wicket for his first boundary

Australia's 50 has come up in 11.3 overs

OVERS 10.4: FOUR! Khawaja hits through the covers for his first boundary

Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh have some rebuilding to do now

OVERS 9.5: OUT! Carey (24) cuts to first slip for Rohit Sharma to take the catch. Kuldeep strikes in his first over

OVERS 9.4: FOUR! Carey cuts through backward point

Double bowling change: Kuldeep Yadav replaces Khaleel Ahmed in the attack. Powerplays are still on

Shami concedes 2 runs in his first over

Mohammed Shami replaces Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the attack

OVERS 7.5: FOUR! Khaleel continues, Carey flicks through mid-wicket for his fourth boundary

OVERS 4.4: FOUR! Carey cuts through point for his third boundary, superb timing there

OVERS 3.4: FOUR! Carey cuts to the third man fence

OVERS 3.1: FOUR! FREE HIT! Carey makes room and hits over mid-on for the first boundary of the match

OVERS 3.1: Khaleel oversteps for a no-ball, that's a big one

OVERS 2.2: OUT! 100th ODI wicket for Bhuvneshwar as Finch (6) is clean bowled through the gate

OVERS 1.6: Finch hits through the covers for three runs

Khaleel Ahmed bowls the second over for India

2 runs off the first over by Bhuvneshwar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls the first over, Alex Carey on strike

Australian captain Aaron Finch wins toss, opts to bat against India in Sydney

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Khaleel Ahmed

Australia (Playing XI): Aaron Finch, Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff

Australia have won just 3 out of their last 24 ODIs.

The last time Australia played India in a bilateral series, they lost 1-4.

The Indians have lost just 1 out of their last one-day internationals.

Hit hard by an unexpected controversy after the high of the Test triumph, India will look to fine tune their World Cup preparations in the three-match ODI series against an under-fire Australia.

NEW DELHI/SYDNEY: Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul will be sent home on the first available flight from Australia as the BCCI suspended them on Friday for their outrage-evoking comments on women, hours after the duo's on-field leader Virat Kohli expressed his disapproval.

The under-fire players have been suspended pending an inquiry into their sexist comments on a TV show, ruling them out of the three-match ODI series against Australia, beginning Saturday in Sydney.

READ ALSO: Pandya, Rahul in danger of missing New Zealand series

"Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry," the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.

A few hours later it was confirmed that a decision has been taken to send them home from Australia.

"It's confirmed. The duo are being sent back. If they can book tickets then tomorrow they will be leaving (for India) or latest by day after," a senior BCCI official said.

He added that at this point their chances of making the squad for the New Zealand tour is also "bleak".

The suspension letter, as per clause 41 (6) of BCCI, states: "CoA suspends Pandya, Rahul from participating in 'any match or function or event or activity that is authorized, organized, sanctioned, recognized or supported in any way by the BCCI, the ICC or any State Association, until final adjudication of the matter'."

"The duo is now called upon to provide an explanation as to why they should not be proceeded against for misconduct and indiscipline under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution within a period of seven days. This is without prejudice to the BCCI’s rights and contentions, all of which are hereby expressly reserved," stated a BCCI release.

The all-India senior selection committee will soon name their replacements for the ODI series against Australia and the tour to New Zealand.

The 'Koffee with Karan' episode featuring the cricketers has since been taken down by the channel's online platform.

On the show, Pandya had boasted about hooking up with multiple women and being open about it with his parents. Rahul was, however, a shade more restrained in his responses on relationships and women.

A source in the BCCI said the two will be issued fresh show cause notices before a formal enquiry begins.

"Whether it will be an internal committee of the BCCI or an ad hoc ombudsman who will conduct an inquiry, is yet to be ascertained," the official said.

Pandya has regretted his comments twice since the show went on air on Sunday -- first on his official Twitter page and then in response to the BCCI show cause notice on Wednesday.

Rahul, on the other hand, is yet to react to the controversy.

The decision to hand them suspensions came after Rai's CoA colleague Diana Edulji recommended the same till further action against the two. This was after the BCCI's legal team refused to declare the comments a violation of the code of conduct.

The copy of the legal opinion, in possession of PTI, states: "We feel that present matter doesn't fall under the ambit of Code of Conduct and procedure of Code of Conduct can't be invoked in present circumstances."

Edulji had initially suggested a two-match suspension for the duo but referred the matter to the legal cell after Rai agreed with her and recommended the same.

"It is imperative that players be put under suspension till further course of action is decided for this misconduct as was done in case of (BCCI) CEO ( Rahul Johri) when he was sent on leave on sexual harassment matter," read Edulji's response to the legal opinion.

In Sydney, on the eve of the ODI series, captain Kohli condemned the two for what he termed "inappropriate" comments but said he was not too stressed about the possibility of a ban on the all-rounder.

"...it's good that we have someone like (Ravindra) Jadeja who can do the all-rounder's role if a scenario like that occurs," Kohli said.

Days after their historic maiden Test series triumph, Kohli asserted that the side does not stand by the "individual opinions", which have triggered a social media storm.

The likes of Rishabh Pant and Manish Pandey will now be in contention to be their replacements. While Pandya was a certainty in the playing XI, an out-of-form Rahul was not in contention to play on Saturday.

It is speculated that the BCCI might bar players from appearing on entertainment shows owing to the ongoing furore.

SYDNEY: Captain Virat Kohli on Friday said the Indian team doesn't stand by Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul for making "inappropriate" comments on women during a TV show but insisted that the controversy won't affect the dressing room morale.

Kohli said that the availability of both Pandya and Rahul for the ODI series against Australia would depend on any action that the BCCI might take on Friday.

"From the Indian cricket team point of view, any inappropriate comments that are made in that scenario are something that we definitely don't support. We definitely as the Indian cricket team do not support views like that and that has been communicated (to the two players)," said Kohli on the eve of the ODI series opener.

"I can definitely say that as the Indian cricket team and responsible cricketers we definitely don't align with those views and those are purely individual views. The two concerned players (have) felt what has gone wrong and they have understood the magnitude of what's happened.

"Definitely it has to hit anyone hard, they will definitely understand the things that have not gone right. We are still waiting for a decision to be made," he said.

When asked if this had an impact on the dressing room after a first-ever Test series' win in Australia, and if it causes a distraction as the Men in Blue start their preparation towards the 2019 World Cup, Kohli said, "Whatever has happened is unfortunate but there are certain things that are out of your control.

"You just need to sit back and wait and watch them unfold. From the combination and team balance point of view, yes when something like that happens you will have to think of what is the combination you need to go in with now."

The Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai on Thursday recommended a two-ODI ban on Pandya and Rahul but fellow COA member Diana Edulji referred the matter to the BCCI's legal cell.

Kohli said the team remains in high spirits following the unprecedented success in the recently concluded Test series.

"You don't have control over these things so you have to adjust with the situation and address it the way it comes to you and the way it unfolds. That's how we're looking at it. The combinations will have to be thought about once the decision comes out (from the BCCI) and from there on, we will see what needs to be done about the whole situation. We all are waiting just like everyone to understand what the decision will be.

"But from the Indian cricket team point of view this changes nothing in terms of our beliefs in the change room. It does nothing to the spirit that we've been able to create within the change room and these are purely individual opinions and something which as I said is inappropriate," Kohli added.

SYDNEY: Virat Kohli fired the opening salvo on the Australia tour with a match-winning 61, helping India win the third T20 International by six wickets and draw the three-match series 1-1 here on Sunday.

Scorecard: India vs Australia, 3rd T20I

Kohli's sublime 41-ball knock and his 60-run unbeaten stand with Dinesh Karthik (22 not out off 18) gave India the much needed series-levelling win ahead of the all-important Test series beginning December 6 at Adelaide.

The captain's perfectly executed chase in 19.4 overs came after Shikhar Dhawan (41 off 22 balls) and Rohit Sharma (23 off 16 balls) provided a flying start to the innings.

Earlier, Krunal Pandya took career-best figures of 4-36 as Australia were restricted to 164/6 in 20 overs.

Australia won the opening T20I by four runs while the second game was a washout, putting additional pressure on India who came here at the back of winning six T20I series in a row.

Chasing 165, Dhawan and Sharma put on 50 runs off just 28 balls.

Both batsmen took the aerial route with aplomb and hit seven fours and four sixes between them to leave the Australian bowlers clueless. Overall, India scored 67/1 in the powerplay overs.

Mitchell Starc (1-26) had got the breakthrough in the sixth over, trapping Dhawan lbw via DRS referral. It put a momentary break on scoring as no runs were scored off the next eight balls, resulting in Sharma's dismissal, who played on off Adam Zampa (1-22).

KL Rahul (14) started off by scoring a monster six, and added 41 runs for the third wicket with Kohli. India crossed 100 in the 12th over, but the former started struggling for timing and holed out shortly afterwards.

It became a double blow as Rishabh Pant was out for a first-ball duck, gloving behind off a slower short ball from Andrew Tye (1-32).

India were in bit of a bother at that stage, but Kohli and Dinesh Karthik brought out their shots. The latter played a perfect foil to Kohli as he struck a four and a six to bring down the asking rate.

Kohli meanwhile reached his 19th T20I half-century off 34 balls and took India home with two balls to spare.

This was after Pandya's orthodox left-arm spin came in handy during the middle overs after the hosts had sped to 68/0 after winning the toss and opting to bat.

Australia made one change to their line-up, with Mitchell Starc coming in for Jason Behrendorff. India picked an unchanged eleven.

Aaron Finch (28) and D'Arcy Short (33) then provided a cautious start to the innings, albeit they picked up momentum quickly as the Indian pacers struggled in conditions vastly different from Brisbane and Melbourne.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-33) and Khaleel Ahmed (0-35) both proved expensive, while first-change Jasprit Bumrah (0-38) too didn't stem the flow of runs, as Australia raced to 49/0 at the end of powerplay overs.

The Finch-Short partnership put pressure on the Indian fielding, shoddy again, and Rohit Sharma put down a sitter off Finch (on 22) at the start of the eight over off Pandya.

Kuldeep Yadav (1-19) then provided the much-awaited breakthrough as Finch was out caught sweeping at short fine leg.

It opened the doors to the Australian middle order. Glenn Maxwell (13) survived an lbw shout via DRS off Yadav, but Short and Ben McDermott (0) were dismissed lbw off successive balls in the tenth over as Pandya pegged Australia back.

The quick wickets disturbed Australia's momentum and they never really recovered, losing wickets at regular intervals in the second half of their innings. They had held back Chris Lynn (13) but he couldn't provide the requisite impetus, run-out in the 18th over.

In between Pandya also accounted for Maxwell, caught by Sharma in the end, as also the vital wicket of Alex Carey (27) who held the Australian middle order together after the initial setbacks.

Marcus Stoinis (25 not out off 15 balls) played an attacking cameo at the end, and put on 33 runs with Nathan Coulter-Nile (13 not out) as Australia finished with a score just above average (151) at this ground.

SYDNEY: Staring at an imminent defeat after seven successive series wins on trot, India will be looking for yet another solid bowling performance against a brittle Australian top-order in third and final T20 International on Sunday.

ALSO READ: Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc summoned for final T20I

India were in with a very good chance of levelling the series in Melbourne on Friday after reducing Australia to 132 for 7 in 19 overs but rain put paid to their hopes.

Now a win at the SCG will at least let Virat Kohli's team share the bragging rights and more importantly remain in a good frame of mind before the real test begins at Adelaide on December 6.

India are unbeaten in T20I engagements since July 2017, when they last lost to West Indies in a one-off game in the Caribbean. They have won 20 out of 27 T20Is since then in different conditions and against varying opposition.

In doing so, India are unbeaten in nine consecutive T20I series since August 2017, including a drawn two-match contest against Australia at home (October 2017).

They have won seven consecutive T20I series since – the Nidahas Trophy win in the tri-series in Sri Lanka (also including Bangladesh) and beating England away 2-1 in the summer gone past, are the highlights of this unbeaten run.

Last time in Australia, back in 2016, India had won the T20I series with an unprecedented 3-0 margin.

Rain though has played spoilsport with their chance of winning a second consecutive T20I series Down Under. Perhaps the only silver lining is that they still can maintain their unbeaten record in this format with victory on Sunday.

In order to achieve this, India will like to carry on from where they left off in Melbourne. The surprisingly unchanged bowling attack put in a more disciplined performance as compared to their Brisbane outing, and both pacers and spinners were able to put the Australian batting order under constant pressure.

There were hiccups in the field of course – two dropped catches in keeping with a shoddy display in Brisbane as well. This is one area that the Indian team will be keen to improve on when the final game begins, for it could well be the difference again if the Australian batting clicks.

Pre-game in Melbourne, there was talk that the Indian team management might revert to type and bring back Yuzvendra Chahal to re-ignite his partnership with Kuldeep Yadav in a must-win game.

The stakes haven't changed going into the series decider, yet India's improved showing with the ball gives reason for picking an unchanged side.

Given the situation, skipper Virat Kohli showed surprising consistency in team selection and continued to back Krunal Pandya in the all-rounder guise.

The latter put in an improved showing of 1-26 in four overs, bowling Glenn Maxwell with a slow turner. The SCG wicket is known to be helpful to spinners and thus there is no case to leave Pandya out.

It remains to be seen if India will be tempted to play Chahal nevertheless, if conditions do turn out to be drier than in Brisbane and Melbourne.

The only option to do so is in leaving out Khaleel Ahmed then, who despite being a touch expensive in the first game has justified his selection thus far.

Dropping Ahmed won't be easy, as Kohli adopted stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma's plan (used against West Indies at home) to pair him with Bhuvneshwar Kumar first and bring in Jasprit Bumrah as first-change.

Leaving him out would mean Kumar-Bumrah sharing the new ball, and unless conditions demand it, the team management again might not be too keen to change what clearly worked in Melbourne.

Whilst the Indian team was waiting for the rain to stop and play to resume, it was also noticeable that Kohli was sitting padded up in the dugouts even as openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma warmed up.

It hinted at a possible re-promotion for the skipper to number three, in light of KL Rahul's struggles off late. It is again improbable that the latter will be left out at Sydney, but Kohli batting at number three and boosting the top-order in the series' finale could be India's best bet.

Australian pacer Billy Stanlake, who twisted his ankle during pre-match warm-up on Friday, is slated to undergo a scan on Saturday.

His availability for Sunday's game thus is under doubt but the hosts haven't yet named an alternative with Nathan Coulter-Nile stepping in to take his spot in the side in the second T20I.

Weather is set to relent on Sunday and unless conditions are drier than anticipated, Aaron Finch has no reason to change his playing eleven.

His side now stands on the cusp of a surprise series' win against India, one thought inconceivable at the start of this week given the current turmoil in Australian cricket.

Teams:

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Washington Sundar.

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

Match starts at: 1.20 pm IST.