Sky-scraping totals: Get to know India’s highest run chase in ODI cricket

India's highest run chase in ODI cricket dates back to October 16, 2013, when the Men in Blue scored 362/1 while hunting Australia’s 359/5.

It was during the second ODI of Australia tour of India that the Indian cricket team, then led by MS Dhoni, produced one of the finest batting performances. 

After having won the toss and electing to bat, Australia rode on half-centuries from Aaron Finch, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell to put 359/5 on the board.

In response, India hardly broke a sweat as they reached the target with nine wickets and 39 balls to spare. 

A certain Rohit Sharma was the biggest catalyst, with the opener scoring an unbeaten 123-ball 141. The current captain played an impressive 176-run opening wicket partnership with Shikhar Dhawan, who missed his century by a mere five runs.

Virat Kohli’s arrival only made life more difficult for the Aussies. The top-order batter combined with Rohit to score 100 runs off just 52 balls. An innings that included eight fours and seven sixes was played at a strike rate of 192.30.

Although India were also aided by a whopping 26 extras (lb 5, w21), one cannot take anything away from Rohit and Kohli’s partnership of 186 runs that came in just 104 deliveries.

India’s second-highest run chase in ODI cricket came four years after Rohit and Kohli played their historic partnership. During the first match of the England tour of India in 2017, middle-order batter Kedar Jadhav played his best ODI innings, scoring 120 runs off just 76 deliveries to help India chase England’s 350/7.

With the scores tied at 350 after 48 overs, Ravichandran Ashwin hit a six off Moeen Ali’s over to take India’s total to 356/7.

It’s only on three occasions that India have successfully chased 350-plus runs total. During the 2013 series against Australia, India chased 351/6 with three balls remaining.

India's highest run chase in ODI

Featured photo: AFP / Paul Ellis