Bowlers shine as India defend 237 to pocket one-day series 2-0
Let's have more of things please. A 50-50 pitch with bounce and grass. A side losing the toss and struggling to score 237. The other trying to make the most of it to chase it down but falling short. The fielding captain using attacking and imaginative fields, manoeuvring his bowlers and protecting his part-timer.
The monotonous ODI game, so influenced by T20 cricket and tall scores, got a booster in the form of the second ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. For the record, India won the contest by 44 runs, thanks to an inspired spell of 4/12 in nine overs from the tall Prasidh Krishna. To use an abused cliché, cricket was the real winner.
The result meant that India pocketed another bilateral series win at home and another one against West Indies (their 11th in succession), against whom they have not lost a series since 2006. It was also the 11th time in 17 games that Windies failed to bat out 50 overs.
Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur struck in quick succession in the end overs by banging the ball short to dismiss the well-set Fabian Allen and Akeal Hossein, who looked threatening during their 42-run seventh-wicket alliance. After that the contest came down to whether power-hitter Odean Smith could launch against the spin of Washington Sundar and Deepak Hooda. But Sundar's floaty off-spin in the 45th over caused Smith to miscue a slog and Kohli at deep mid-wicket pouched a steepler despite banging his head on the turf.
Earlier, after being put in to bat, India struggled to get to 237. They managed thanks to a gritty 64 (83 balls, 5x4) from Suryakumar Yadav and his 91-run alliance for the fourth wicket with the stylish KL Rahul 49 (48 balls, 4x4, 2x6), as they revived India from 43/3 in 12 overs.
Surya, during his innings, became the first batsman to score 30-plus in each of his first six ODI knocks and his control and maturity made one think he deserves more games at a stretch. The way both Rahul and Surya were going along after Rahul had been let off by Shai Hope behind the stumps when on four, it felt India would get to over 270. They had the measure of the spinners and were looking for the launching pad. But a misunderstanding caused Rahul to pause while going for the second run and he was run out.
It derailed the innings somewhat as Surya, despite adding a useful partnership of 33 with Sundar, perished soon while top-edging a sweep off Allen.
The responsive pitch and hard lengths bowled by the Windies bowlers inconvenienced the Indian top-order as they hardly got anything pitched up in their half. Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder, Smith dished out a masterclass in bowling the heavy ball and Test match line and lengths.
Skipper Rohit Sharma poked at a delivery that bounced and moved away from Roach and was caught behind. Rishabh Pant, promoted to open the batting for the first time, didn't grab his opportunity (he did grab four good catches though) and miscued a pull off Smith. Kohli went out poking at a delivery on fifth stump.
But it didn't hurt India much as Krishna had something special in store under lights.
1/10:Krishna leads Indian bowling attack
<p>Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna led India's inspired bowling to outplay West Indies by 44 runs in the second one-day international and clinch the series on Wednesday. (AP Photo)</p>
2/10:West Indies falter in chase of 238
<p>West Indies faltered in their chase of 238 to be bowled out for 193 in 46 overs as India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Ahmedabad. (AFP Photo)</p>
3/10:Career-best figures for Krishna
<p>Krishna returned career-best figures of 4-12 and fellow pace bowler Shardul Thakur took two wickets as India extended their successive ODI series win record over West Indies to 11. (AP Photo)</p>
4/10:Fine half-century by Suryakumar
<p>Suryakumar Yadav's 64 remained key as India posted 237 for nine, a total that looked below par but proved enough for the tourists who came into the match without injured skipper Kieron Pollard. (AP Photo)</p>
5/10:Krishna gets rid of Windies openers early
<p>In reply, West Indies lost opener Brandon King for 18 and Darren Bravo for one with Krishna taking down both the batsmen in his first two overs. Krishna struck again in his second spell to send back stand-in-skipper Nicholas Pooran, for nine, as West Indies slipped to 66-4. (ANI Photo)</p>
6/10:Brooks fights back for West Indies
<p>Shamarh Brooks raised hopes of a fightback with a 41-run partnership with Akeil Hosein who attempted to keep up the chase after his partners' departure in another gritty stand with Fabien Allen. Odean Smith also gave India a scare with 20-ball 24 but Washington Sundar got him out and Krishna took the final wicket. (AP Photo)</p>
7/10:Fine stand by Yadav and Rahul
<p>Earlier Yadav and KL Rahul, who made 49, put on 91 runs for the fourth wicket after West Indies fast bowlers struck early to reduce India to 43-3. Pace spearhead Kemar Roach drew first blood after getting skipper Rohit Sharma caught behind for five in the third over of the innings. (ANI Photo)</p>
8/10:Smith dismisses Pant and Kohli in one over
<p>Pollard's replacement Smith rattled the hosts with his double-strike in one over to send back Rishabh Pant, who opened the batting, out for 18 and Kohli also walked back on 18. (ANI Photo)</p>
9/10:Rahul falls short of fifty
<p>Rahul, who survived a dropped catch on four by wicketkeeper Shai Hope off Roach, made use of the reprieve to rebuild the innings with Yadav. But he fell short of his fifty after being run out while attempting a second run with Yadav. (AP Photo)</p>
