Krunal’s 62 on Debut and Shikhar’s 98 Help India Post 317/5
India posted 317/5 after being put into bat first by England in the ODI series-opener in Pune.
Shikhar Dhawan, playing only his second international match in over a year, anchored India’s innings as the team posted 317/5 in the first ODI against England at Pune.
The team also had three players contribute with half centuries with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and ODI debutant Krunal Pandya all reaching the milestone.
Eoin Morgan won the toss and put India into bat first in the series-opener and it was Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan who walked out to start the innings.
The pair added 64 runs before England made their first breakthrough of the match, Rohit caught behind off Ben Stokes on 28.
Virat Kohli then joined Dhawan out in the middle and the pair defied and frustrated the English bowling attack, taking the team from 64/1 in 15.1 overs to 169/2 in 32.1 overs by the time Virat lost his wicket.
The Indian skipper got to his half century in the 30th over before Mark Wood got the breakthrough for England. Virat out of a 60-ball 56.
At the fall of Virat’s wicket, Shikhar Dhawan was batting on 83 off 91 deliveries but after Shreyas Iyer got out on 6, Dhawan’s scoring rate also dropped and he was eventually caught on 98, off Ben Stokes.
While Hardik lasted all of 9 deliveries, his elder brother Krunal ensured his ODI debut was one to remember as he smashed a 26-ball half century to help India post 317/5.
Krunal remained unbeaten on 58 and KL Rahul on 62 with Krunal’s 26-ball fifty being the quickest in an ODI for a debutant. His 112-run sixth wicket stand with K.L. Rahul is also the highest for India.
India scored 10, 11, 21, 12 and 13 in the last five overs with pace bowler Mark Wood ending with figures of 2/75 from his 10 overs. Woods's last two overs cost 34 runs.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)