No dead rubber syndrome for Aus, insists Smith

The series long pocketed but their appetite for wins far from satiated, Australian captain Steve Smith and coach Darren Lehmann on Friday said the hosts will not take it easy in the fifth and final cricket one-dayer against India here on Saturday.

Australia, in a remarkable display of all-round skills, have established a 4-0 lead in the series, chasing down two 300-plus targets in the process.

“5-0 is our goal, we have played some very good one-day cricket. So it will be a fitting finish to the summer. The way we showed our skills in Canberra under pressure was very pleasing. (But) we certainly don’t feel invincible but we have great confidence in our skill sets,” Smith said ahead of on Saturday’s match.

Lehmann also said the Aussies won’t be struck by the ‘dead rubber syndrome’.

“Every game is important, whether it is 5-0 or 4-1, or 3 -2, it doesn’t matter. When you are playing cricket for Australia, you actually want to win every game. We have a job to do, and entertain the crowd in the process,” he said.

Reflecting on the win in the fourth ODI, Smith said it was a remarkable effort by his boys given that India were cruising along at one stage during the 349-run chase.