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. Pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur were at their usual best. But the two debutants – Krunal Pandya and M. Prasidh Krishna –played an instrumental role in India’s 66-run win in the first ODI against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune 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 yet again won the toss and inserted India in. But Rahul and Krunal – the elder of the Pandya siblings – ensured India reached 317 for five with an unbeaten 112-run association in 9.3 overs.
Krunal made his mark with an unbeaten 58 off just 31 balls, while Prasidh finished with 4 for 54 after being taken to cleaners by Jonny Bairstow in the Powerplay. 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 for 251 in the 43rd over.
As it happened:
While the final margin of victory may indicate a facile win, Bairstow and Roy had got England off to a flying start. Bairstow whacked Prasidh for 22 runs in the sixth over, including lofted drives, two of which landed in the empty stands. Bairstow and Roy had added 135 for the first wicket when captain Kohli reintroduced Prasidh in the 15th over. Roy cut his first ball over backward point for four. However, the next ball, he mistimed a drive and Suryakumar Yadav, fielding for injured Rohit Sharma - he was hit on the shoulder while batting - completed a juggling catch at point.
In his next over, Prasidh accounted for Stokes, with another substitute Shubman Gill, filling in for an injured Shreyas Iyer after he partially dislocated his shoulder, accepting a dolly at extra cover. Had Kohli accepted the edge off the first ball that Morgan, batting with a split webbing, faced, Prasidh would've had two wickets in an over. Shardul Thakur then came to the party in the 25th over, getting rid of the dangerous duo of Bairstow and Jos Buttler in the space of four balls to put India on top.
Earlier in the evening, when Krunal joined Rahul at the crease - after Hardik’s dismissal - at 205 for five, India was in danger of falling 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 to end on a high.
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