1st ODI: India take opening honours against West Indies but weaknesses galore
Mumbai Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav picked up a four-wicket haul while Ravindra Jadeja grabbed three to play a starring role in India’s five-wicket win over West Indies in the first one-day international (ODI) in Bridgetown, Barbados on Thursday.
Ishan Kishan plays a shot.(AFP)
Put into bat, the hosts were bowled out for a paltry 114 in 23 overs, their second-lowest total against India. But on a pitch offering bounce, India’s batting performance too was unconvincing. Opener Shubman Gill’s frailty outside the off-stump early in his innings was again exploited and Suryakumar Yadav, who is on a trial run for the World Cup, failed to cash in on the opportunity. Gill was out for seven and Yadav made 19. Batting at No 4, Hardik Pandya was dropped at the total of 63 off leg-spinner Yannic Cariah at slip by Brandon King, but didn’t last long to be run out at the non-striker’s end for just seven runs.
With a meagre total to chase, the Indian think-tank took the opportunity to try out Ishan Kishan as Gill’s opening partner instead of captain and regular opener Rohit Sharma. Kishan was aggressive and took his chances to help India chase down the target in 22.5 overs with an innings of 52 (46 balls). The southpaw scored at a brisk pace to help India touch 50 in 10 overs and completed his half-century off 44 balls. The southpaw though was guilty of throwing it away by holing out to deep mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.
Rohit was forced to come out to bat at the fall of the fifth wicket in the form of Shardul Thakur. The captain, in the company of all-rounder Jadeja, took the team home.
West Indies collapse
Earlier, West Indies, who have come into the series on the back of a disappointing World Cup qualifier campaign where they failed to make it to the main event for the first time in their history, lost their last seven wickets for the addition of only 26 runs as their struggles in the 50-over format continued.
Skipper Shai Hope waged a lone battle scoring 43 off 45 balls after coming into bat at No. 4. He, however, watched on helplessly as wickets tumbled quickly from the other end once the spinners came on.
Kuldeep struck in quick succession by first trapping Dominic Drakes leg before with a googly before bamboozling Yannic Cariah, also with a wrong’un. Hope was Kuldeep’s third wicket after missing an attempted reverse sweep. The 28-year-old wrapped up the innings with the scalp of Jayden Seales.
India’s concern
Shubman Gill’s issues outside the off stump against the new ball in helpful conditions may have started to become a cause of concern for the team’s coaches. The talented batter started with a streaky four, top-edging a Jayden Seales short delivery of the third ball he faced. To the disappointment of the India camp, his below-par tour continued when he edged Seales to Brandon King at second slip in the fourth over of the innings. Suryakumar Yadav came in and hit a trademark six over fine-leg but failed to capitalise, missing a sweep shot to be leg-before.
India handed an ODI debut to Mukesh Kumar. Sharing the new ball with Pandya, the debutant picked up Alick Athanaze as his maiden wicket.
