Rohit stars in nail-biting win

Rohit Sharma hit a crucial 72 in a match that went down to the wire as India beat West Indies with one wicket in the first ODI of the series. With India lacking some of the first choice players, West Indies almost caught India napping but the youngsters came to their rescue once again. The visitors struggled with the bat in the first innings to give India a target of 212, the hosts started well but lost five wickets in a near-collapse before Rohit strung crucial partnerships with the lower order to give India lead.

Notwithstanding the fact that Virender Sehwag had additional responsibility of being the skipper, he started off in his trademark style in the 212-run chase. A short and wide delivery from Kemar roach was duly dispatched for a boundary. Spinner Anthony Martin conceded three boundaries as the rollicking start meant India had put on 37 after four overs.

However, a double-strike by Kemar Roach brought West Indies right back into the contest, Parthiv Patel smashed a wide delivery asking to be hit straight to the man at point. Gautam Gambhir cleared the same fielder to get off the mark but top edged the next delivery to be caught behind.

This sparked off a procession, India’s prolific scorer in one-dayers this year, Virat Kohli was cleaned up by Roach for zero and Sehwag’s stumps were disturbed by Russell. When Suresh Raina was caught at mid-on, India had stumbled to grim looking 59 for five and West Indies were favourites to warp it up.

However, India still had two good batsmen in the middle, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. The two knowing that India heavily banked on them started the much-needed recovery without wasting any time. With regular ones and twos, the odd boundary kept the chase afloat. Sharma even launched one over the ropes effortlessly to take India near three figures.

Helping India’s cause was the presence of dew, thus the West Indian spinners didn’t get the grip and turn that could have made batting difficult. However, the duo played with calm heads to steer India to a position from where the finish line was visible.

They added 83 at a good rate before Jadeja was caught at point off Pollard’s bowling leaving Rohit with lot to do with only the tail to follow. R Ashwin couldn’t repeat his Mumbai heroics at a packed Barabati but India were helped by some resilient batting from Vinay Kumar.

He helped India add 42 to take them close but the match changed on its head when Rohit Sharma’s fighting knock of 72 came to an end, giving West Indies a sniff with India still eleven short. Vinay Kumar too fell in the next over without addition of any more runs to the total.

The last pair of Aaron and Yadav almost made hash of the chase with some strange running and shot selection but two boundaries in the 49th over eventually got India home much to the jubilation of the sell-out crowd.

Earlier, Indian bowlers hit the right areas with enough consistency to restrict West Indies to modest total of 211 for the loss of nine wickets. With prospect of dew later in the match, Virender Sehwag stuck in the visitors after making the right call at the toss. Consequently, Adrian Barath hit three powerful boundaries, two in one over off Vinay Kumar but the bowler hit back with peach of a delivery that kissed Barath’s bat on way to the wicket keeper.

Lendl Simmons after playing fifteen dot balls opened his account with a bludgeoning drive and hit a six on the next delivery in a bid to make up for his sluggish start. As Indian got the two rookie pacers, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron to bowl in tandem, the extra pace resulted in some swings and misses. Eventually, Marlon Samuels was castled by Aaron and Yadav dislodged Simmons with pacey deliveries. After ten overs, West Indies had put on 52 but at the same time had lost three top order wickets.

Darren Bravo, who has been in sparkling form of late, was joined by newbie Danza Hyatt; West Indies desperately needing a partnership to steady the stuttering innings. And, the two set about the recovery despite some early difficulties, adding a crucial 75 in 16.3 overs.

Bravo played fluently for his 74-ball 60, benefiting from a couple of drops in the field by the Indians. He was particularly strong through the covers, peppering the fence half a dozen times in his stabilizing knock. At the other end, Hyatt struggled to get going, using up as many as 38 deliveries to get into double figures but celebrated it with a huge six off Ravindra Jadeja.

With easy singles on offer, West Indies consolidated well till a lazy piece of running cost Hyatt dear. After he was dismissed for 31, Bravo kept the score board ticking over till the 35th over when a quicker one from Suresh Raina disturbed his furniture. Kieron Pollard couldn’t do much, thus, India were able to dry up the runs with their spinners bowling economically.

Umesh Yadav returned to get one more even as Andre Russell hit some lusty boundaries to take West Indies to what looked like a below-par total of 211.