Virat Kohli did not score the winning runs — though he hit a six off the first ball of the final over of India’s chase in Hyderabad on Sunday — but his knock (63 off 48 balls), alongside a sparkling innings from Suryakumar Yadav (69 off 36 balls), helped India pull off a six-wicket win over Australia and clinch the T20I series 2-1.

Mention should also be made of spells from Axar Patel (3/33) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/22) as they spun a web around the visitors earlier in the game. In reply to Australia’s 186 for 7, Kohli and Suryakumar’s 104-run stand for the third wicket in just 10.2 overs played a huge role in taking India home.

Kohli’s departure off Daniel Sams in the second ball of the deciding over kept Australia’s hopes alive, but Hardik Pandya (25 not out) put bat to a wide yorker from the left-arm quick to get a boundary past short third man to give India the winning runs with a ball to spare. After losing the series opener in Mohali, India’s bowling was very much under the scanner. Not that the bowlers made a remarkable improvement thereafter.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, returning to the XI in place of Rishabh Pant, did dismiss the dangerous-looking Cameron Green (52 off 21 balls) but gave away 39 off his three overs. The Hyderabad pitch, though, had something for the bowlers and left-arm spinner Axar, easily the best bowler across the two teams in the series, bowled a consistent stump-to-stump line and leg-spinner Chahal tried to exploit whatever assistance the surface offered.

Their performance was key to tightening the screws on Australia in the middle overs, especially after Green’s superb strokeplay had helped the visitors wallop 62 in just five overs. If his three wickets weren’t enough, Axar’s direct throw to run Glenn Maxwell out was also among the crucial moments of the game. It was the 68-run partnership between Tim David (54 off 27 balls) and Sams (28 not out) that helped Australia regain some momentum towards the end of their innings.

India had lost openers KL Rahul and captain Rohit Sharma with just 30 on the board in 3.4 overs. But Suryakumar again showed how massively significant he is at that No.4 slot. Unleashing strokes at will, he simply toyed with the Australian attack which also eased matters for Kohli.

The duo couldn’t last till the end, but it was their impact that mattered.