Pacers Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur were instrumental in putting the brakes on England as India started off the ODI series with a 66-run win in Pune.
Krishna, who is the first Indian bowler to take 4 wickets on debut, started the fight back and accounted for Jason Roy in the 15th over and then dismissed Ben Stokes in the 17th before Thakur took over. Krishna, who took a 22-run hammering in the 6th over of the innings, put the seal on the win with the final wicket of Tom Curran.
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan (98) and Virat Kohli (56) put together century stand for the second wicket before debutant Krunal Pandya (58*) and KL Rahul (52*) added another 112 in 9.3 overs to power India’s total to 317/5.
England, who are without Jofra Archer and Joe Root, asked the hosts to bat first with Mark Wood and Sam Curran keeping a lid on the runs early on. Wood also caused Rohit some discomfort when an outside edge hit him on the elbow, which resulted in the physio needing to help the batsman out a bit.
Rohit and Dhawan found it difficult to pierce the field with the ODI World Champions not saving a few boundaries within the first ten overs. Rohit and Dhawan only found the fence 8 times in their 64-run partnership. Rohit looking flay away a wide one only managed to edge it Jos Buttler for 28 at the start of the 16th over.
Joined by Virat Kohli after that, Dhawan continued to chip away at his end while the captain started to bring out a few glorious drives, upping the scoring rate slowly but surely.
Almost midway through the innings, 24th over, India reached the 100-run mark when Dhawan slog swept Adil Rashid for a six to bring up his half century as well. Off the next over, Kohli picked Moeen Ali off through backward point for a boundary to bring up a half-century partnership with Dhawan.
Kohli, who came out and took on the aggressor’s role in the partnership, smashed 6 boundaries on his way to a half century. Kohli brought up his fifty in the 30th over. At the other end meanwhile, Dhawan, who was dropped by Moeen Ali in the 28th over, started break free and attacked the off-spinner as soon as he came on to bowl. The duo brought up their 100 partnership off 95 deliveries.
5 runs later, England found the much-needed breakthrough as Kohli’s uppish flick shot landed straight in the hands of Moeen Ali, who caught it this time, off Mark Wood’s bowling for 56.
Dhawan continued score freely but Shreyas Iyer could not give him much support and was caught for 6 at deep cover off Wood.
The southpaw, who had been stuck in the 90s for a while, could not get to his century and became Stokes’ second wicket when his pull shot was well caught by Eoin Morgan at midwicket. Dhawan was dismissed for 98, with KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya in the middle and the score at 197/4.
Hardik, after a short stay of 9 deliveries, was the next to make the long walk back to the pavilion when Stokes had him giving catching practice to Jonny Bairstow for 1.
From here on in, Krunal Pandya took charge as he opened his account with three crisply hit boundaries and never really looked back. Krunal played fearlessly in the final phase of the innings scoring at a strike-rate of 200 for most of his knock.
Krunal completed his 50 off 26 deliveries while Rahul at the other end also played himself back into form and then accelerated in the last few overs, hitting four boundaries and four sixes to remain unbeaten on 62.
The duo put together India’s second century partnership, in the process rescuing the side after being 205/5 in the 41st over. India finished with 317/5.
Much unlike India’s start, England were off to a flyer when they came out to bat with Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow both looking to attack from the get-go. For the first five overs, they were watchful and then a 22-run over from debutant Prasidh Krishna opened the floodgates in the 6th over.
Bairstow completed his half century with a four of Kuldeep Yadav, and then tonked the spinner for a six right after as England’s openers brought up their century stand in the 12th over.
With both Bairstow and Roy going great guns, India were desperate for a wicket and it was Krishna who got the breakthrough. Extra pace and bounce surprised Roy, who was caught by Suryakumar Yadav for 46. England were 135/1 at the time after 15 overs.
The young bowler continued the good work in his second spell and dismissed Ben Stokes off his next over as he sliced it straight to Shubman Gill at short cover - well and truly putting the brakes on the visitors. Off the next ball, Krishna could have had the wicket of Eoin Morgan too, but Kohli dropped the catch at slip.
Morgan however quickly got into his stride, while Bairstow inched closer to a century.
The opener though could not get to three figures and was caught by Kuldeep Yadav at deep midwicket off Shardul Thakur when he tried to pull him into the stands. England with the score at 169/3 had Jos Buttler joining the captain.
6 runs later, Morgan (22) was the next to England batsman to be dismissed as an effort ball from Thakur caught the edge and gave KL Rahul a regulation catch. A few deliveries later, Thakur struck again and trapped Jos Buttler LBW for 1, who reviewed in vain.
Thakur and Krishna’s second spell saw them pick 5 big wickets for just 41 runs to put India in command after England got away to a great start.
England were desperately in need of a partnership to keep themselves in the game but Prasidh Krishna struck again just as Sam Billings and Moeen Ali were putting a stand together. Billings reached out to drive Krishna but was caught sharply by Kohli at short cover for 18.
Moeen Ali too could not hang in there for too long with Sam Curran as he edged one from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to KL Rahul for 30, reducing England to 237/7.
Soon after, Krunal, who scored a fifty earlier in the day, picked his first ODI wicket when Sam Curran’s lofted shot resulted in an easy catch for Shubman Gill. India at the time were two wickets away from the win.
Off the next over Bhuvneshwar struck again as Adil Rashid was caught behind for 0, bringing India to within one wicket of the finish line.
A few overs later, Krishna came back into the attack and picked the wicket of Tom Curran to finish things off.
Krishna finished with a four-wicket haul, which is the best figures for an Indian bowler on debut in ODIs.
India have handed ODI debuts to Krunal Pandya and young fast bowler Prasidh Krishna ahead of the first ODI against England in Pune. Both are coming off fantastic seasons domestically for their respective state teams. India have rested Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will bat lower down the order and take on the keeping gloves as well. Krunal received his cap from his brother Hardik.
In April 2019, former Australia pacer Brett Lee picked out two Indian fast bowlers and put them in the promising lot. A genuine quick of his time for the Baggy Green, Lee named Delhi’s Navdeep Saini and Karnataka’s Prasidh Krishna, and predicted a good future for them.
India XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), KL Rahul(w), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
England XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
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