KL Rahul blazed a career-best 129 not out off 87 balls — his ninth ODI century — while Rohit Sharma struck 92 off 85 and Ruturaj Gaikwad contributed a fluent 57 off 69 to power India to 351/7 in 50 overs in the third and final ODI against the West Indies at the PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh on 3 October. The total sets a formidable target for the visitors and rounds off a batting spectacle that produced the most individual centuries in any three-match ODI series — nine in all.

Sensational Recovery After Seales Strikes Early

India's innings nearly unravelled before it began. Jayden Seales reduced the hosts to 4/2 inside three overs, removing Shubman Gill — who had scored a hundred and a double hundred in the first two games — caught down the leg side for one in the second over. Virat Kohli followed immediately, beaten on the flick as the delivery held its line to uproot the middle stump, departing for a duck. India limped to 28/2 at the Powerplay — among their lowest six-over totals in recent memory.

Rohit-Gaikwad Partnership Steadies the Ship

Rohit and Gaikwad absorbed the early pressure before shifting gears emphatically. Rohit survived an LBW review — replays showed the ball missing the stumps — before targeting Keemo Paul and Alzarri Joseph for boundaries in the middle overs. In the process, he became the quickest batter to 10,000 ODI runs as an opener, reaching the milestone in just 202 innings. He reached his fifty off 58 balls, laced with ten fours and three sixes. Gaikwad, despite being dropped four times, made every reprieve count, stroking one four and four sixes and completing his fifty in the 27th over. Their partnership realised 137 runs before Rohit top-edged a pull off Paul to Jewel Andrew at deep mid-wicket for 92 — agonisingly short of a hundred. Seales then ended Gaikwad's innings when the ball bounced sharply and lobbed a catch to backward point.

Rahul's Masterclass Seals a Massive Total

With India at 160/4, the match was in the balance. Rahul, playing his first innings of the series, delivered a clinic in middle-order acceleration. He began patiently, rotating the strike alongside Naman Dhir, who cracked boundaries off Seales and pulled Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie for sixes in a brisk 30 off 21 balls. Their stand produced 65 runs before Dhir chipped to cover off Motie. Rahul had reached his fifty off just 41 balls by then. Nitish Kumar Reddy fell for nine, nicking behind off Paul, but debutant Anshul Kamboj provided late fireworks with two sixes in a single Motie over before a run-out ended his 17 off nine balls. With Kamboj and Gurnoor feeding Rahul the strike, he reached his century off 80 balls — a short ball from Seales in the 49th over dispatched over fine leg. India plundered 105 runs in the final 60 balls, with Paul conceding two full tosses that Rahul dispatched over the leg side for maximums, closing the innings with a heave through mid-wicket.

West Indies Bowling and Dropped Catches

Seales was the pick of the West Indies attack with 3 for 62, accounting for Gill, Gaikwad, and Rohit at crucial junctures. Paul returned 2 for 71 and Motie 1 for 67. However, the visitors will rue a collective lapse in the field — six catches were spilled, including four off Gaikwad and two off Rahul. Vitel Lawes endured a difficult outing, conceding 54 runs in five overs before limping off with a left calf problem, adding to West Indies' concerns heading into their run chase.

Historic Numbers and What Comes Next

The series has already rewritten record books: nine individual centuries across three ODIs is the most in any three-match series. Rohit's milestone as the fastest opener to 10,000 ODI runs adds a personal landmark to a team effort. West Indies now face a steep 352-run target — a chase that will demand their own batting record on this ground. India's bowlers, fresh and rested, will look to wrap up the series 3-0.