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PIX: Krishna, Thakur, Krunal fire India to easy win over England

Last updated on: March 23, 2021 21:56 IST

Images from the first One-Day International between India and England, in Pune, on Tuesday.

India's debutant pacer Prasidh Krishna celebrates with teammates after dismissing England opener Jason Roy in the first ODI, in Pune, on Tuesday.

IMAGE: India's debutant pacer Prasidh Krishna celebrates with teammates after dismissing England opener Jason Roy in the first ODI, in Pune, on Tuesday. Photograph: BCCI

Pacer Prasidh Krishna became the first bowler to take four wickets on his ODI debut and Shardul Thakur bagged three as the duo bowled India to a thumping 66-run victory over England in the first One-Day International, in Pune, on Tuesday.

 

England suffered a batting collapse after a breezy start and were dismissed for 251 in 42.1 overs in reply to India's huge 317 for five after they were put in to bat.

Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy gave England the perfect start, putting on 135 runs for the opening wicket off 86 balls before pacers Krishna and Thakur turned the game on its head.

Krishna dismissed Roy for 46 to trigger a middle order collapse and then claimed the big wicket of Ben Stokes (1) in his next over.

Thakur then dealt England a huge blow with the wicket of the well-set Bairstow, having him caught at deep midwicket after he had stroked 94 from 66 balls, including seven sixes and six fours.

He left England in complete disarray with the wickets of Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler in a single over as the visitors collapsed from 135 for no loss at one stage to 251 all out.

Krishna was the star of the show with figures of 4 for 54, while Thakur continued his good recent form, taking 3 for 37 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed 2 for 30.

India's opener Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his 50 with Virat Kohli.

IMAGE: India's opener Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his 50 with skipper Virat Kohli during the first ODI against England, in Pune, on Tuesday. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, opener Shikhar Dhawan narrowly missed out on a hundred, before K L Rahul and debutant Krunal Pandya hit blistering fifties.

Put in to bat, India made a sedate start, as openers Dhawan and Rohit Sharma took time to settle down against England’s probing pace attack.

Ben Stokes celebrates after dismissing Rohit Sharma

IMAGE: Ben Stokes celebrates with his England teammates after dismissing Rohit Sharma. Photograph: BCCI

However, after the exit of Rohit (28), Dhawan blazed away in the company of skipper Virat Kohli to put the home side high in the saddle.

Dhawan missed out on what would have been a well-deserved century, pulling a short delivery from Ben Stokes straight to Eoin Morgan at mid-wicket.

He was out for 98 off 106 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes, while Kohli scored a well-compiled 56 off 60 balls.

Virat Kohli bats

IMAGE: Virat Kohli went on the attack from the start of his innings. Photograph: BCCI

Later, Rahul smashed 62 off 43 balls and Krunal sizzled in an entertaining 62 from 43 balls as India finished on a high.

India scored 112 runs from the last 10 overs, the duo taking the England bowlers to the cleaners, courtesy their 112-run stand for the sixth wicket from 57 balls.

England captain Morgan won the toss and elected to bowl.

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan run between the wickets

IMAGE: Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan run between the wickets during their second-wicket partnership. Photograph: BCCI

India left out Rishabh Pant, persisting with Rahul as wicketkeeper in ODIs.

Prasidh Krishna and Krunal made their India debuts, while Kuldeep Yadav was chosen for the match ahead of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Mark Wood celebrates the wicket of Virat Kohli

IMAGE: England’s players celebrate after Mark Wood dismisses Virat Kohli. Photograph: BCCI

Tom Curran replaced the injured pacer Jofra Archer, while Moeen Ali also made England’s playing eleven.

India opened with Rohit and Dhawan while Mark Wood started the bowling for England.

England's players celebrate Hardik Pandya's dismissal.

IMAGE: England's players celebrate Hardik Pandya's dismissal. Photograph: BCCI

Dhawan and Rohit took time to settle down and brought up India's 50 in the 13th over. But three overs later, Ben Stokes gave England the breakthrough with his first delivery of the 16th over.

Rohit chased a wide one, but only got the edge and was caught behind after a slow 28 from 42 balls.

It was the third time that the England pacer dismissed the opener in his last seven deliveries across formats. India a were 64-1.

K L Rahul scores a boundary

IMAGE: K L Rahul scores a boundary. Photograph: BCCI

Dhawan then brought up his fifty, off 68 balls, in style, slog-sweeping Adil Rashid over mid-wicket for a six.

Thereafter, Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohil revelled in the middle, raising a 50-run stand for the second wicket off 59 balls as India piled on the runs.

But, against the run of play, India lost Kohli, who flicked a full delivery from Wood straight into the hands of Moeen Ali at deep midwicket.

Kohli was out after a well-compiled 56 off 60 balls.

Krunal Pandya

IMAGE: Krunal Pandya dispatches one to the boundary. Photograph: BCCI

Wood struck again two overs later, dismissing Shreyas Iyer, who played a rash shot, looking to smash it over the off-side, and was caught by substitute Liam Livingstone, who ran in from sweeper cover to take the offering.

Dhawan then missed out on what would have been a well-deserved century, pulling a short delivery from Stokes straight to Eoin Morgan at mid-wicket.

He was back after a superb knock of 98 off 106 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes.

India were reduced to 197 for 4 in the 39th over, losing two wickets for 14 runs in the last five overs, as England staged a good comeback.

Stokes continued England's fightback with the ball, dismissing Hardik, who gave Jonny Bairstow a simple catch at first slip and perished for 1. India were 205-5 in the 41st over.

Rahul and Krunal Pandya however steadied the ship to bring up India’s 250 before raising a 50-run stand for the sixth wicket off 31 balls, scoring 54 runs from the last five overs.

Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul during their partnership

IMAGE: Krunal Pandya and KL Rahul celebrate a four during their partnership. Photograph: BCCI

Well-set, with India 260 for 5 in 46 overs, the pair continued to plunder runs and brought up their individual fifties.

Krunal raced to his off just 26 balls to register the fastest half-century by a debutant in One-Day Internationals, while Rahul completed his fifty off 39 balls as India went 300 in the 49th over before finishing with 318 for 5.

Stokes continued England's fightback with the ball, dismissing Hardik, who gave Jonny Bairstow a simple catch at first slip and perished for 1. India were 205-5 in the 41st over.

Adil Rashid watches anxiously as Krunal Pandya and K L Rahul steal a quick single

IMAGE: Adil Rashid watches anxiously as Krunal Pandya and K L Rahul steal a quick single. Photograph: BCCI

Rahul and Krunal Pandya however steadied the ship to bring up India’s 250 before raising a 50-run stand for the sixth wicket off 31 balls, scoring 54 runs from the last five overs.

Well-set, with India 260 for 5 in 46 overs, the pair continued to plunder runs and brought up their individual fifties.

Krunal raced to his off just 26 balls to register the fastest half-century by a debutant in One-Day Internationals, while Rahul completed his fifty off 39 balls as India went 300 in the 49th over before finishing with 312 for 5.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar opened the bowling for India, while Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow opened the batting for England, who needed a quick start to chase down the huge total.

The pair started in whirlwind fashion, racing to 89 without loss in 10 overs. Bairstow smashed his way to 49 off 35 balls, while Roy stroked 32 from 25 balls.

Jonny Bairstow plays a shot

IMAGE: Jonny Bairstow was England’s top-scorer with 94 off 66 balls, including six four and seven sixes. Photograph: BCCI

England’s openers were running away with the match as runs came at nearly 10 per over.

But debutant Krishna, who had gone for 37 runs in three overs, returned to the attack and made amends by dismissing Jason Roy, who miscued the ball towards point, where substitute Suryakumar Yadav took the catch despite an initial fumble.

It was huge relief for India as Roy walked back after scoring 46 off 35 balls and putting on 135 runs for the opening wicket with Jonny Bairstow off 86 balls.

Shardul Thakur the wicket of Jonny Bairstow

IMAGE: Shardul Thakur the wicket of Jonny Bairstow. Photograph: BCCI

New-man in Ben Stokes started watchfully, content to bat defensively. He hit Kuldeep through the covers, but was unable find the gap before he tapping the last ball for a single to deep point for a single to get off the mark, off the ninth ball he faced.

But the pressure of a slow start got to him. He tried to drive Krishna on the up but hit straight into the hands substitute fielder Shubman Gill in the covers and was out for 1.

That was Krishna’s second wicket in as many overs in his second spell and India managed to pull back things after England's fiery start.

Shardul Thakur, who returned to the attack in place of Krishna, had England in more misery by dismissing the well-set Bairstow, who pulled the short ball straight into the hands of Kuldeep at deep mid-wicket.

Shardul Thakur exults after dismissing Eoin Morgan

IMAGE: Shardul Thakur exults after dismissing Eoin Morgan. Photograph: BCCI

That was a big blow for England as Bairstow was out after a superb knock of 94 from 66 balls, which included seven sixes and six fours. Suddenly, England were reduced to 168 for 3 in the 23rd over.

Thakur was again among the wickets, dismissing Eoin Morgan, who was batting with four stitches after tearing the webbing on his right hand while fielding. England’s captain went for the pull but got an edge to the extra bounce for Thakur and was caught behind for 22.

England’s wickets kept falling as Thakur delivered another blow in the same over.

Jos Buttler was beaten by a full in-swinging delivery and struck on the pads. He was adjudged out leg before wicket before he took the review.

The impact was in line and the ball is going to clip leg stump and the decision stayed with the umpire's call.

Buttler was out for 2 as England sunk to 176 for 5 in the 25th over. They lost five wickets for 41 runs in the space of 64 balls.

Prasidh Krishna celebrates the wicket of Sam Billings

IMAGE: Prasidh Krishna celebrates the wicket of Sam Billings. Photograph: BCCI

Krishna returned to the attack for his third spell and continued his wicket ways, dismissing Sam  Billings, caught in the covers for 18.

England were reduced to 217 for 6 in the 32nd over, with another 101 runs needed for victory with just four wickets in hand.

Bhuvneshwar got his name among the wickets after inducing an edge from  Moeen Ali and having him caught behind for 30.

Krunal then bagged his maiden wicket in ODIs in his final over and finished with 1 for 59 in his 10 overs. Sam Curran, looking to loft the first ball down the ground, was caught by substitute Gill at long-off. Curran perished for 12 and England were were 238 for 8 in the 38th over.

It was all over for England even with ten overs left when Bhuvneshwar added a second wicket to his name, having Rashid caught behind by wicketkeeper Rahul for a duck.

Krishna ended England's innings with the wicket of Tom Curran, who is caught at third-man for 11.