Incredible Kohli and outstanding Jadhav stun England by achieving 351-run target in Pune
Virat Kohli, Kedar Jadhav
India captain Virat Kohli turns one on the leg-side against England in Pune yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Pune: Even with the 'master of chases' Virat Kohli at the crease, it looked near-impossible for India to chase 351 with the scoreboard reading 63 for four in the 12th over. Kohli was left with an inexperienced middle order and all-rounders to bat with, while the asking rate had already reached above 7.5 runs per over.
Kedar Jadhav
But what followed was one of the best chases by an Indian pair, as Kohli found an able ally in local boy Kedar Jadhav. While Kohli played a masterclass (122 from 105 balls), Jadhav played the innings of his life (120 from 76 balls) to help India take a 1-0 lead in the three match ODI series against England here yesterday.
"It was nice for a change to see someone else also believe that we can win from 63 for 4," Kohli said about Jadhav's effort. "He is very talented, that's why we back him at No 6. His knock today was one of the best I have seen, as far as playing a calculative innings is concerned," the skipper added.
Right since he came into bat, Jadhav made it look like there was no pressure of chasing a big total. He raced to his half century in just 29 balls, and that allowed Kohli some breathing space. The skipper played a typical Kohli-in-a-big-chase knock, hitting fours and sixes at will to bring up his 27th ODI hundred. And what was remarkable to see was that Jadhav, who fought off cramps in the later part of his knock, was able to do the same at an even better strike-rate.
The pair added 200 runs in less than 25 overs, and ensured the asking rate never went up above eight. However, heir dismissals, followed by some poor shot selection from Ravindra Jadeja, made things a little tense for the hosts before Hardik Pandya (40 not out) and Ashwin (15 not out) saw them home with 11 balls and three wickets to spare.
Earlier, England wrote and followed the script perfectly. Two of their top-three batsmen (Jason Roy and Joe Root contributed substantially, in different fashions; and their big hitters upped the ante when it mattered. Roy smashed 73 off just 61 balls, while Root's 78 came from 95 deliveries.
The hosts kept coming back in the game with timely wickets, but Ben Stokes (62 off 40 balls) and Moeen Ali (28 off 17 balls) took the game away from India with a 73-run stand in 33 deliveries. India's death bowling was below par, with 95 runs coming off the last six overs. Jaspreet Bumrah, India's death-bowling specialist, lost control of his Yorkers and ended up bowling three beamers. His last four overs, from Over No 44 to 50, went for 51 runs.
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