Shubman Gill (C) and Ishan Kishan (R) knock gloves after getting runs off Jayden Seales in 1st ODI.© AFP
Skipper Rohit Sharma and senior pro Virat Kohli, who have 76 international hundreds between them, decided to give game time to middle-order batters as India beat West Indies by five wickets in the opening ODI, riding on exploits from spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. After Jadeja (3/37 in 6 overs) and Kuldeep (4/6 in 4 overs) set it up beautifully, shooting out the Windies for 114 in 23 overs, Ishan Kishan helped himself to a half-century (52 off 46 balls) in India’s successful chase in just 22.5 overs.
It is interesting to note that the pair of Kishan and Shubman Gill opened the innings for India in the paltry chase of 115 despite skipper Rohit also being available to bat. After Gill fell, Suryakumar Yadav was sent in at number 3 with Virat Kohli staying in the dugout. Hardik Pandya came in at the fourth position while Ravindra Jadeja batted at the fifth position. Rohit came only after the fifth wicket fell down.
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer posted a funny tweet describing India’s batting order against West Indies in the first ODI.
See the post here:
Team India deciding batting order today #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/FtkXDSG7bL
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 27, 2023
The Indian team will be expected to return to its set batting order as it aims to put up a much-improved show with the willow and take an unassailable lead in the three-match series when it faces a below-par West Indies in the second ODI in Barbados on Saturday.
Skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid did face a minor hiccup while trying out the middle-order batters upfront on a track that became a raging turner during the second session but a meager target of 115 meant that things were smooth for the better part.
However, one can vouch with a degree of certainty that even if India once again chases a small target, Rohit Sharma will indeed come out with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli will be seen padded to come at one drop.
(With PTI Inputs)
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