Whether it’s Test or ODI cricket, the West Indies keep plummeting to new lows.
Rain somehow helped deny India a 2-0 sweep in the Test series, where the hosts’ batting was below standard. The script didn’t change with the white ball either.
Their innings lasted only 23 overs as the Windies were bundled out for a paltry 114 as India won the first ODI by five wickets at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown on Thursday.
India, after experimenting with their batting order, took only 22.5 overs to reach the target. Keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, picked over Sanju Samson, opened the innings with Shubman Gill, while Suryakumar Yadav was sent ahead of Virat Kohli — who wasn’t required to bat at all — at No.3.
Barring the ploy to send Kishan (52 off 46) up the order, other experiments didn’t work as India were reduced to 97/5 at one stage. Finally, Ravindra Jadeja (16 not out), who earlier starred with the ball, and captain Rohit Sharma (12 not out) — coming in at No.7 — took the team home.
Kishan aside, the other batters didn’t look too comfortable against the Windies spinners, something the team management needs to look into.
Earlier, after India won the toss and opted to bowl first, it was Jadeja who triggered the Windies’ collapse.
He reduced them to 96/6 in the 18th over from 88/3 in over No.16. Windies skipper Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer, in his comeback ODI, were looking to rebuild the innings, but pathetic shot selection from Hetmyer gifted Jadeja with a wicket.
The left-armer then extracted a little bit of spin to bamboozle a clueless Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd in three balls. With the Windies innings in tatters, left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (4/6) made merry thereafter, focusing on the stumps.
Among the quicks, Mukesh Kumar struck on debut, dismissing Alick Athanaze after Hardik Pandya made good use of the bounce and seam to remove opener Kyle Mayers. Shardul Thakur also got one, that of Brandon King.
Siraj rested
Pacer Mohammed Siraj has been rested for this ODI series as a precautionary measure due to a sore ankle, the BCCI said on Thursday. Leading the pace attack in the Test leg of the tour, Siraj flew back home with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat and Navdeep Saini.
India haven’t named a replacement for Siraj.
