Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav. One has been a superstar on the cricket horizons ever since his exploits as a teenager while the other forced himself into the reckoning in his late twenties.
Still, when the duo got together with India perilously placed at 63 for four, after England had piled on 350 for seven in the first ODI on Sunday night, the varied backgrounds and contrasting journeys culminated in a memorable 200-run partnership that changed the course of the game.
More than the ability of the two to play mind-boggling strokes — Jadhav’s inside out six off Moeen Ali or Kohli’s short-arm jab that sailed into the stands —the hallmark of their association was their ability to rotate the strike. The two had just 38 dot balls in the 147-ball passage they played together, thus not letting the pressure build.
Need of the hour
Kohli, the king of chases, had no qualms in admitting he and Jadhav took no time in realising that ‘percentage cricket’ was the need of the hour. “We figured out how to tackle the situation. I think the best thing that came out was to counter attack. I don’t think any of the wickets we lost was because of good balls. We committed errors,” he said.
“It was even better to bat in the second innings as compared to the first. We thought we could play percentage cricket and keep taking that calculated risks. The ball travels very, very fast here. We could hit sixes to put pressure on the opposition every now and then.
“I think it was one of the best partnerships I’ve been part of. We have chased 350 a couple of times before, but not from 63 for four. Really good positive start and we look forward to carry it through. It’s something really special and will stay with me for a long time.”
While doffing his hat to Jadhav for his blitzkrieg, England captain Eoin Morgan did his best to keep up the morale of his side. “There is always something we can do,” he said.
“All the plans weren’t far off today (Sunday) and the balls went over the head, maybe those two yards on another day, and that would have been out. And they would have been five down and you are right into them.
“He (Kohli) is a fantastic player, he has proven that over a long period of time.”
