India relied on their bowlers to stage a remarkable recovery scripting a comfortable 48-run win in the second cricket One-day international against the West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1, here on Saturday.
Chasing a 264-run target, West Indies were cruising at one stage as they were 170 for two in the 36th over before their innings fell apart on a sluggish Ferozshah Kotla track.
India defended the total despite West Indies’ early domination as opener Dwayne Smith hit a career-best 97. However, once Smith was dismissed Indian bowlers called the shots, causing a batting collapse.
From a comfortable 170 for two, the Caribbean side lost their last eight wickets for just 45 runs to be all out for 215 in 46.3 overs.
Mohammed Shami (4/36) recorded his career-best figures while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (3/44) and leg-spinner Amit Mishra (2/40) snared five wickets between them as the inept technique of the Caribbeans against spinning deliveries was exposed thoroughly.
Electing to bat, India had posted a competitive 263 for seven as Suresh Raina hit a sparkling 62 while Virat Kohli (62) returned to form with his first half-century in eight months.
Raina carried his splendid T20 form into the match and Kohli regained his lost touch partly at his home ground as the two batsmen added 105 runs for the fourth wicket after a sedate start by India.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni contributed in India’s total with his unbeaten 51 off 40 balls while Ambati Rayudu scored 32, batting at number three, a place where Kohli usually bats.
In his trademark style, Dhoni hit a six and a four off paceman Jerome Taylor to complete his 56th half-century in the last over of the innings.
West Indies opener Smith missed out on his maiden ODI century by just three runs and his dismissal in the 36th over changed the complexion of the match.
The two teams will now travel to Visakhapatnam for the third ODI on Tuesday.
The West Indies looked like taking it away from the hosts as the two openers – Smith and Darren Bravo — settled nicely after getting a measure of the pitch and the bowlers. They easily took the team to a comfortable 64 in 13 overs without loss.
Shami brought relief for India when the first ball of the 14th over slightly brushed the stump, took the bail off, and Bravo was forced to start his walk back to pavilion. The left-hander took 44 balls for his 26 but his stand with Smith gave West Indies an ideal start.
The Windies openers did not exactly set the stage on fire but hardly gave anything to India. The match was on ever keel as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and spinners toiled hard initially. They did not leak many runs but did not get wickets either.
Getting quick runs was tough on the Kotla pitch but Kieron Pollard did not hesitate to swing his arms. The burly batsman clobbered a six off Yadav and also hit Bhuvneshwar for a four, causing anxiety in the rival camp.
Meanwhile, Smith completed his 50 with a single off Amit Mishra and also lofted the leg-spinner for a six over mid-wicket to raise his side’s 100 in the 23rd over. Pollard also creamed a six off Mishra, who was by and large bowling well.
The leg-spinner copped another six from Pollard but had his revenge when he bowled Pollard, who dragged one on to his stumps. However Pollard by then had added 72 runs for the second wicket with Smith, setting the stage for an easy win.
He scored 40 runs from 50 balls with three sixes and a four.
Last match’s centurion Marlon Samuels joined Smith, who was holding one end tight. Smith punished Kohli’s slow medium pace with three boundaries in four balls and later hammered Mohammed Shami for a huge long-on six.
However, he missed his first ODI century when Shami’s ball went on to hit his disturbed the stumps after hitting his pads. Perhaps he quicky wanted to go pass the milestone mark and missed the ball that came in from off stump. His 97 had 11 fours and two sixes.
Umesh Yadav scalped Samuels (16) and Mishra got rid of Denesh Ramdin (3) with a turning ball to reduce the visitors to 189 for five.
Jadeja then saw the back of Andre Russell (4) and Darren Sammy (1), ending all West Indies hopes of a win.
Earlier, Raina batted like an artist on work as he struck the ball elegantly and effortlessly. His drives, late cuts and one inside-out six off paceman Ravi Rampaul were a treat to watch after India elected to bat.
Raina’s assuring presence on one end not only pulled India out of slump but it also gave Kohli a chance to arrest his slide as the Delhi lad could play freely without having to worry about run-rate. Kohli struggled in the entire England tour, where he could score only one fifty and that too at the tour-ending T20 match.
While Raina scored at a good pace, Kohli was patient in his approach, going for singles and hitting an odd boundary in between.
The stand was broken when Raina miscued a shot off Jerome Taylor and the edge flew to Kieron Pollard at mid-off. Raina’s 62 came off 60 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Kohli’s 62-run knock was his first ODI fifty since scoring a century against Bangaldesh in February this year. His knock came off 78 balls with five shots to the fence.
Before the two joined hands, India were struggling at 74 for three inside 20 overs as the visitors strangled the Indian batting with some courageous effort, especially their pace duo of Rampal and Taylor.
Taylor was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors as he took three wickets for 54 runs.
At the start, Rampal struggled with his line but generated some good pace, which troubled the Indians. Taylor provided the visitors breakthrough, going through the gates of Shikhar Dhawan (1), who played across the line, missed it completely only to see his stumps shattered.
Rayudu was sent ahead of Kohli and the Baroda batsmen started off in tremendous fashion with two boundaries off Rampaul. He guided one to third man and then drove the ball elegantly through covers.
However, the Windies bowlers kept the Indians on a tight leash as Rampaul and Taylor bowled well in tandem. Rampaul was excellent with his pace while Taylor was terrific with his line and length. The boundaries were far and few as the first 10 overs fetched India only 37 runs.
Darren Sammy then dismissed Rahane, who drove straight to Dwayne Bravo at covers. It was a sift dismissal as the slow ball tricked Rahane and he failed to keep the ball down.
Taylor who had given away just five runs in his first five overs, was twice hit to boundary ropes by Kohli. Both the shots were on-drives.
Spinner Sulieman Benn dealt India another blow when he induced an edge from Rayudu (32) and Darren Sammy took a smart catch in the first slip.
It brought Raina to the crease and the left-hander began in a confident manner. He was striking the ball very well even as he was dropped by Bravo off Samuels when he was on 14. But it was a difficult chance to grab.
The diminutive southpaw hit a breathtaking straight lofted drive off Dwayne Bravo, bringing some excitement to the match, which lacked energy. Kohli was playing the second fiddle beautifully, giving Raina more strike.
The duo carried the team to a position from where the Dhoni and other could push for a big score.
Chief Scores :
West Indies : 215 all out (46.3 ov.)
India : 263/7 (50.0 ov.)
India beat West Indies by 48 runs
