1st ODI: Kuldeep’s four-for, Gill and Kohli tons help India thrash West Indies by eight wickets
Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 while skipper Shubman Gill scored 110 as India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday to...
Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 while skipper Shubman Gill scored 110 as India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After the West Indies posted 295 for seven, Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets and kept the scoring in check through the middle overs before India chased down the target in 41.4 overs.
India made a flying start as Rohit Sharma and Gill put on 74 runs for the opening wicket. Gill and Kohli then took control of the chase with a 151-run partnership.
Gill was dismissed after scoring 110 off 108 balls, including 13 fours and a six, and received a standing ovation as he walked back. It was his 10th ODI century.
Kohli remained unbeaten on 139 off 88 balls, hitting 10 fours and nine sixes. The knock marked his 55th ODI century and 10th against the West Indies. It was also his highest tally of sixes in an ODI innings.
Kohli became only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs. He reached the milestone during his 50th over? [No—corrected below.]
Kohli reached 15,000 ODI runs during the 29th over and became the fastest men’s batter to the landmark, surpassing Tendulkar’s record. He later brought up his century off 74 balls, his third-fastest in ODIs and 60th in List A cricket.
Rohit set the tone for India’s chase by driving the first ball from Jayden Seales for four. Gill was dropped on 11 at cover-point, while the West Indies also wasted a review for an lbw appeal against Rohit, who hit the next delivery over sweeper cover for six.
Gill struck Alzarri Joseph for three fours in the eighth over and then lofted Gudakesh Motie over cover for six. Rohit pulled Motie for his third six as India reached 70 without loss at the end of the powerplay.
Joseph dismissed Rohit in the 12th over after the fielder at deep square leg was moved straighter. Rohit miscued a whip to the fielder and departed for 32, with Joseph dismissing him for the fourth time in ODIs.
Kohli got off the mark with a top-edged pull over the wicketkeeper for six, while Gill reached his half-century off 49 balls. With dew beginning to set in and Justin Greaves off the field with a shin problem, West Indies captain Shai Hope was left with only five frontline bowling options.
Kohli reached his fifty from 40 balls before taking three successive fours off Joseph in the 29th over. The second boundary took him past 15,000 ODI runs. Gill completed his century with a drive off Seales at the start of the 31st over.
Kohli’s six off Roston Chase in the 34th over brought up the 150-run partnership, but Gill fell three balls later while attempting a slog sweep to deep midwicket.
With Ruturaj Gaikwad unbeaten on 13 providing support, Kohli advanced down the pitch and lofted Motie over long-on for six to bring up his century.
Kohli was dropped on 125 by Keemo Paul but made no further mistakes. He sealed the victory in style, whipping Keacy Carty over deep backward square leg for six before hitting another six over fine leg to complete the chase.
Earlier, Justin Greaves scored a fluent 101 off 108 balls, while John Campbell and Amir Jangoo made half-centuries as the West Indies recovered to post 295 for seven.
Sent in to bat in hot and humid conditions, the West Indies raced to 85 without loss during the powerplay as India’s pace attack struggled to maintain control.
Greaves was particularly aggressive against the pacers, scoring 56 off 55 balls with 10 fours, while managing 44 from 53 balls against the spinners.
Nitish Kumar Reddy conceded 18 runs in his first over, with Greaves hitting four boundaries, including one off a no-ball and another from the free hit. Gurnoor Brar nearly dismissed him in the fourth over, but Rohit could only get his fingertips to an edge at wide slip.
Campbell attacked Ravindra Jadeja after the introduction of spin, hitting two sixes over long-on. Greaves then cut debutant Naman Dhir for four in the 14th over to reach his half-century and bring up the West Indies’ first century opening partnership against India since 2019.
Kuldeep broke the 135-run stand in the 20th over when Campbell top-edged a sweep to short fine leg. Keacy Carty struggled before chipping Prasidh Krishna to mid-on in the 31st over, while Kuldeep had Hope caught at backward point.
Greaves completed his maiden ODI century with a single through point but was dismissed soon after when he missed a sweep against Kuldeep’s googly. India’s review confirmed that the ball would have hit the off stump.
Kuldeep struck again with the very next delivery, as Jewel Andrew edged another googly to Rohit at slip for a golden duck.
Roston Chase and Jangoo added 50 runs before Prasidh bowled Chase for 24 in the 45th over. Jangoo, who had hit three fours off Prasidh in the 43rd over, then struck Gurnoor for two successive fours and a six to bring up his second ODI fifty off 38 balls.
Nitish dismissed Matthew Forde in the final over, while Jangoo remained unbeaten on 58 off 43 balls. The West Indies finished five runs short of 300, with India’s chase ultimately proving too strong.
Brief scores: West Indies 295/7 in 50 overs (Justin Greaves 101, John Campbell 62; Kuldeep Yadav 4/40, Prasidh Krishna 2/60) lost to India 300/2 in 41.4 overs (Virat Kohli 139 not out, Shubman Gill 110; Roston Chase 1/64, Alzarri Joseph 1/81) by eight wickets.
(IANS Inputs)
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