Australia seals 2-0 ODI series lead over India in Adelaide

Australia secured a 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against India after a tense two-wicket victory at the Adelaide Oval, effectively sealing the series with one match remaining. India posted 264 for 9, anchored by Rohit Sharma's resilient 73, but the total appeared below par on the challenging pitch. Australia's chase was bolstered by standout performances from all-rounders Matt Short, who scored 74 despite a finger injury, and Cooper Connolly, who remained unbeaten with 61 runs, guiding the hosts to victory with 3.4 overs to spare. The match highlighted India's struggles against Australian bowling, especially with the controversial exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav, as the multi-skilled Nitish Reddy failed to make the anticipated impact. Virat Kohli endured a rare slump, recording back-to-back ducks, deepening concerns about his form on what could be one of his final tours. Australia's bowlers, led by Xavier Bartlett and Adam Zampa, applied pressure throughout, while India’s fielding lapses contributed to their downfall, underscoring the visitors' tactical challenges in the series so far.