Excellent series win for India, who are shaping up nicely for the T20 World Cup. But a pit-stop before that as South Africa come visiting for a three-match T20I and ODI series, When does that start you ask? In three days' time in Thiruvananthapuram. As always, we'll be here presenting every update as it comes. Till then this is me Ashish Pant, signing off on behalf of my colleagues Deivarayan Muthu and Chandan Duorah. Goodnight and take care!
Anchal Saxena: "Cameron has to be the highlight of the match who unfortunately ended on losing side. What a player he is turning out to be!! Cleaning hitting and economical bowling. Amazing times ahead for Australia. "
11.07pm All smiles as Rohit Sharma collects the winner's trophy. He is joined by the other members as they pose with the trophy. Team India seems to have forgone their previous unspoken rule of handing the trophy to the youngest player of the team. Instead this time, the ever young DK was given the trophy.
Rohit Sharma, the India captain: It (Hyderabad) is a special place. We have had a lot of memories with the India team and with Deccan Chargers. [On the game] It was a great occasion. We wanted to put up a show, and we did that well. The biggest positives was different individuals stepping up with the ball and bat. When you are sitting back and watching all of that happening, you feel nice as a management. Sometimes you can err in doing a lot of things. This is T20 cricket, and the margins of error are very small. I thought we took our chances, we were brave. Sometimes it didn't come off, but that is a learning we will take. [Areas of improvement] There are a lot of areas, particularly, our death bowling coming to the party. Those two (Harshal and Bumrah) who came in are coming after a long time. Knowing their (Australia's) middle and lower order is tough to bowl at. Don't really want to look into that. They are coming after a break, they will take time. Hopefully, they can get back in the groove.
Axar Patel is the Player of the Series: When you do well, and the team wins you feel nice. The things I do in the IPL, bowling in the powerplay and when you execute it well, feels nice. The line and lengths, I bowl, I back myself. Even if the batter hits a good shot, I back myself. I try and execute my plans.
Suryakumar Yadav is the Player of the Match: [His dismissal] In that situation, it was much needed. I thought let's take my chance. There were two-three shots in my mind, was trying to hit over mid-off. Thoughts have always been the same, have always wanted to express myself. That's how I practice in the nets. Just loving at No.4. A lot of challenges and responsibilities as well [for the T20 WC]. You can't shy away from expressing yourself. Have to be smart.
Aaron Finch, the Australia captain up first : It was a really good series. We held our nerves well in the middle overs. The series Green had was big as well. We thought it was a decent total, it got a bit dewy, and we knew we had to get wickets. You can't rely on containing India. At times we were a bit sloppy in our execution. To be able to play three games against a world-class side has been great for this side. [On Green] He is a super young player; he has shown his class. He has not played a lot of T20. He has taken it superbly. Presentation time
Kammo: "Axar should be MoS by a wide margin. 10 overs 8 wkts. Next highest number of wkts was 3"
Raj Patel: "Wonder who would be the Man of the Series ? Any takes or suggestions?" Axar?
Mohit : "That hundred against Afghanistan helped Kohli lose tons of pressure from his shoulders. Now we're seeing pressure free vintage Kohli."
Here's Virat Kohli: I have to utilise my experience and had to take down Zampa. [On Surya] I looked at the dugout and both Rahul and Rohit asked me to continue batting. He has the game to bat in any conditions, he got a hundred in England, then batted well in Asia Cup. Here he is striking the ball as well as I have seen him in the last six months. It's just the array of shots and to play the shots at the right time is such a good skill to have, and he does that. I made up my mind to go after him (Zampa). He is a quality bowler and tries to control my scoring. I knew he was attacking my stumps, so was outside the leg stump. I am making a conscious effort to strike those big ones through the middle overs. The game shouldn't have gone for that long, and we should have had four or five runs to chase in the last over. It was important to maintain my composure and get one boundary which I was able to do (in the last over). I have enjoyed batting ever since I came back at the Asia Cup. Today also I was an hour and half before the team. I am working hard on my process and happy with my contributions.
10.35pm India continue to surge and they will be so happy with this win. Not because they won, but because they overcame tough scenarios. Green started off like a train, then India came back with wickets. Then the late flourish, but Harshal bowled a superb last over. The start of the chase was excellent but with Rahul and Rohit falling early and Australia bowling thunderbolts, Kohli and SKY had to bide their time, yet collect the runs, which they did. SKY, in particular, was unstoppable and once he got out Kohli took over. Both batters got to a fifty and in the end, it was Pandya, who kept his calm. Having said that, Australia were relentless on a belter of a surface bowling those hard lengths. A word on Green, who was absolutely superb with both bat and ball.
Pandya back on strike. Surely he will want to finish it off this ball.
DK comes in now. 5 off 4.
Ishan Jain: "Superover anyone?" Let's not go there
V Kohli c Finch b Sams 63 (89m 48b 3x4 4x6) SR: 131.25
Sams for the last over. Can he do it this time? India will need 11
END OF OVER:19 | 10 Runs | IND: 176/3 (11 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.26, RRR: 11.00)
- Virat Kohli57 (46b)
- Hardik Pandya21 (14b)
- Josh Hazlewood4-0-40-1
- Pat Cummins4-0-40-1
Hazlewood to bowl the 19th. India need 21 off 12. Remember that last over from Harshal. That could well be the difference.
END OF OVER:18 | 11 Runs | IND: 166/3 (21 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 9.22, RRR: 10.50)
- Virat Kohli54 (42b)
- Hardik Pandya14 (12b)
- Pat Cummins4-0-40-1
- Daniel Sams3-0-22-1
Australia look fine on time.
Deep point comes in, fine leg goes back
Raj Patel: "Right time for DK the finisher to come in or still a bit too early ?"
32 needed off 18! Cummins back now.
END OF OVER:17 | 7 Runs | IND: 155/3 (32 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.11, RRR: 10.66)
- Hardik Pandya8 (8b)
- Virat Kohli51 (40b)
- Daniel Sams3-0-22-1
- Cameron Green3-0-14-0