Buoyed by a brilliant victory at Cardiff, Team India carried on from they had left off as the spinners proved a thorn in England’s progress as the tourists won the third one-day international at Trent Bridge by six wickets…
Buoyed by a brilliant victory at Cardiff, Team India carried on from they had left off as the spinners proved a thorn in England’s progress as the tourists won the third one-day international at Trent Bridge by six wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
A star in the IPL, Ambati Rayudu flourished with an unbeaten half-century (64) as a solid partnership with an in-form Suresh Raina, who followed up his 100 in India’s equally dominant 133-run victory in Cardiff on Wednesday with a run-a-ball 42, to put on 87 for the fourth wicket.
But it was the first innings that turned the tides for hosts as 82 without loss eventually became 97 for three in a spat of few overs. Thanks to the guile and spin of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the man-of-the-match, took 3 for 39. England’s opening stand ended when Hales, on his home ground, top-edged a sweep off Raina’s sixth ball and was caught by wicketkeeper Dhoni. Later on, Dhoni’s magic done the trick as part-timer Rayudu took his first international wicket when he had Cook stumped down the legside by the skipper.
This Indian team was on the buzzer as another Dhoni stumping, off Jadeja, saw the end of Joe Root while experienced campaigner Eoin Morgan too saw returned towards the pavilion. For most part of the Test series, the Indians were abysmal with the bat, ball and the fielding as well. But in the ODIs, they looked a completely different unit as it was shown when Ian Bell was run out by Mohit Sharma’s dramatic direct hit from wide long-off.
In the run chase, Ajinkya Rahane was promoted to open in place of the injured Rohit Sharma and took no time to settle in. The Mumbai batsman showed his class with some finesse drives off the English pacers as the former scored a gutsy 45, featuring six fours and a six.
After the departure of Shikhar Dhawan, in walked Virat Kohli who had averaged just 13.4 in India’s abject 3-1 Test series defeat but the vice-captain found some rhythm with the bat as Kohli’s well made 40 ensured some respite for the visitors. Despite few hiccups in the middle, Rayudu and Raina stuck at the crease and made sure that the Men In Blue reach the target of 228 without losing the momentum.
As Team India take a 2-0 lead in the series, Alastair Cook and his men have a tough job to overturn the series deficit whereas Dhoni just a needs a victory at Edgbaston to win the ODI series.
