Shikhar Dhawan set the foundation in the first half. Virat Kohli continued his silken touch. K.L. Rahul justified his inclusion ahead of Rishabh Pant with a final flurry. Pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur were at their usual best. But the two debutants — Krunal Pandya and Prasidh Krishna — played an instrumental role in India’s win in the first ODI against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite Dhawan and Kohli’s 105-run partnership for the second wicket, England bowlers pulled things back in the latter half after Eoin Morgan was yet again luck with the toss of the coin. But Rahul and Krunal — the elder of the Pandya siblings — ensured India had a sizeable total on board with a whirlwind partnership. The duo’s unbeaten 112-run association in 9.3 overs meant India raced to 317 for five.
While Krunal made his mark with an unbeaten 58 off just 31 balls, the other debutant – Prasidh – came back with a bang after being taken to cleaners by Jonny Bairstow in the Powerplay to ensure India crossed the line without much fuss. Prasidh’s four-wicket haul, including the key scalps of Jason Roy and Ben Stokes in successive overs, was crucial in India bowling England out in the 43rd over and wind up the game.
The 66-run margin may indicate a facile win but when Bairstow and Roy got England off to a flying start, India had plenty to ponder. He whacked Prasidh for 22 runs in the sixth over, including lofted drives, two of whom landed into the empty stands, to open the floodgates. With Roy also coming to the party, the dangerous partnership had swollen to 131 in just 14 overs.
When captain Kohli reintroduced Prasidh in the 15th over, Roy cut him over backward point for a four off the first ball. The next one, however, substitute Suryakumar Yadav, fielding for injured Rohit Sharma who was hit on the shoulder while batting, caught an uppish, mistimed drive at point.
Prize wicket
In his next, Prasidh accounted for Stokes, with another substitute Shubman Gill, filling in for an injured Shreyas Iyer after he partially dislocated his shoulder in the field, accepting a dolly at extra cover. Had Kohli accepted the edge off the first ball that Morgan, batting with a split webbing, faced, Prasidh and India would have heaved a sigh of relief.
While Prasidh was deprived of two wickets in an over, Shardul came to the party in the 25th over, sending dangerous duo of Bairstow and Jos Buttler in four balls to make it a matter of time for India.
Reviving the innings
Earlier in the evening, when Krunal joined Rahul at the crease after Hardik’s dismissal, at 205 for five, India was in danger of leaving well short of the 300-mark. But Krunal went after Sam Curran in the 42nd over, pulling and flicking him for three fours. Rahul joined the party in the 44th, clearing the boundary rope at will off leggie Adil Rashid.
The mayhem continued even when Mark Wood came back for the last two overs as Krunal and Rahul opened their shoulders up end on a high.
Scoreboard
India
Rohit Sharma c Buttler b Stokes 28 (42b, 4x4) , Shikhar Dhawan c Morgan b Stokes 98 (106b, 11x4, 2x6) , Virat Kohli c Moeen b Wood 56 (60b, 6x4) , Shreyas Iyer c sub (Livingstone) b Wood 6 (9b, 1x4) , K.L. Rahul (not out) 62 (43b, 4x4, 4x6) , Hardik Pandya c Bairstow b Stokes 1 (9b) , Krunal Pandya (not out) 58 (31b, 7x4, 2x6) ; Extras: (lb-3, w-5): 8; Total (for five wkts. in 50 overs): 317.
Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Rohit, 15.1 overs), 2-169 (Kohli, 32.1), 3-187 (Shreyas, 34.5), 4-197 (Dhawan, 38.1), 5-205 (Hardik, 40.3).
England bowling: Wood 10-1-75-2, Sam Curran 10-1-48-0, Tom Curran 10-0-63-0, Stokes 8-1-34-3, Rashid 9-0-66-0, Moeen 3-0-28-0
England
Jason Roy c sub (Suryakumar) b Prasidh 46 (35b, 7x4, 1x6) , Jonny Bairstow c Kuldeep b Shardul 94 (66b, 6x4, 7x6) , Ben Stokes c sub (Gill) b Prasidh 1 (11b) , Eoin Morgan c Rahul b Shardul 22 (30b, 1x4, 1x6) , Jos Buttler lbw b Shardul 2 (4b) , Sam Billings c Kohli b Prasidh 18 (22b, 1x4) , Moeen Ali c Rahul b Bhuvneshwar 30 (37b, 2x4, 1x6) , Sam Curran c sub (Gill) b Krunal 12 (20b, 1x4) , Tom Curran c Bhuvneshwar b Prasidh 11 (16b, 1x4) , Adil Rashid c Rahul b Bhuvneshwar 0 (5b) , Mark Wood (not out) 2 (7b) ; Extras (lb-3, w-10): 13; Total (in 42.1 overs): 251.
Fall of wickets: : 1-135 (Roy, 14.2), 2-137 (Stokes, 16.2), 3-169 (Bairstow, 22.1), 4-175 (Morgan, 24.1), 5-176 (Buttler, 24.4), 6-217 (Billings, 32.1), 7-237 (Moeen, 37.1), 8-239 (Sam Curran, 38.1), 9-241 (Rashid, 39.2).
India bowling:
Bhuvneshwar 9-0-30-2, Prasidh 8.1-1-54-4, Shardul 6-0-37-3, Krunal 10-0-59-1, Kuldeep 9-0-68-0.
Toss: England; MoM: Dhawan.
India won by 66 runs to take a 1-0 lead in three-match series.
Second ODI: March 26, 1.30 p.m.
