After suffering a 13-run loss against India, Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said that Alex Carey's (38) run out in the 38th over changed the momentum of the game.
Chasing 303 in the final ODI at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday, Maxwell played a knock of 59 off 38 balls including four sixes and three fours, but could not put his side over the line as the Aussies were bundled out for 289.
A miscommunication between Maxwell and Carey sent the latter back to the pavilion as the wicketkeeper-batsman fell short of his crease. India got the crucial wicket after the duo added 52 runs for the sixth wicket.
"As a finishing batter, I feel like I'm batting in a good form. Probably the changing point was the run out with Carey which is probably 100 per cent my fault. Unfortunately, when you leave your side six down, it makes a little tougher because you know one mistake and it can all turn-around pretty quickly. I think that was the probably key moment for the game. They bowled well and Bumrah is a class finisher," the all-rounder said in the post-match press conference.
Talking about spinner Adam Zampa, who returned with the figures of 1-45 in his 10 overs and scalped seven wickets in the series, the all-rounder said, "I think he has been exceptional in the last few years. He really solidified himself as one of the best leg-spinners in one-day cricket. He is accurate, he knows what he wants from his field. He knows what he wants from the game. Just feels like he is reading the game really well. He sticks to his strengths and puts a lot of pressure on the batsmen."
"He has been amazing for us consistently for a long period of time. We saw how well he bowled in England. He seems to get better and better," he added.
Maxwell was also left impressed by the clean-hitting displayed by India's Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya.
Hardik (92 not out) and Jadeja (66 not out) shared an unbeaten 150-run stand.
Asked whether the Hardik-Jadeja partnership changed the game in India's favour, Maxwell said, "Yes, certainly, I think, the way the wicket was probably behaving throughout, we had them 5 for 150 and one wicket away from I suppose the bowling line-up, so we knew we were one wicket away.
"But, unfortunately, the way they were able to play, they put pressure on, they (Hardik and Jadeja) accelerated and took the game away from us with some really clean hitting," Maxwell said at the virtual post-match press conference.
Cameron Green made his ODI debut and Maxwell was impressed with the 21-year-old bowling all-rounder.
"It was seriously impressive, and he has impressed a lot of people with the way he has gone about it, not just with the ball, the way he bowled to Virat (Kohli) that little spell, the way he fielded was exceptional for a big man to move like that.
"He is an extremely smooth mover. The way he went about his batting, took the game on, there are good signs ahead for him and he is an impressive young man," Maxwell signed off.
The three-match T20 series, starting December 4, will be aired on Sony Six, Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 channels.
