Rahane, Dhoni fifties bolster India on tough wicket
NORTH SOUND (ANTIGUA):
The ball bounced more than usual at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday, troubling all Indian batsmen, but Yuvraj Singh still managed to get out leg before to a legspinner in the second ODI.
Yuvraj’s recent dismissals against leggies are looking more like replays. The southpaw, under pressure to retain his place in the India squad, had survived anxious moments from pacers early on after disconcerting bounce had scalped the in-form Shikhar Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli early, leaving India at 34/2 in the 10th over.
MS Dhoni top scored and shared a 70-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane, who made 72 off 112 balls to see off the initial edgy phase to help India put up a decent score.
However, the focus was on Yuvi. Such has been Yuvi’s repufinal, tation against spinners that no sooner had he walked in Holder decided to bring in Ashley Nurse. The off-spinner didn’t let him cut loose but Yuvraj did manage to pick part-timer Kesrick Williams for boundaries. Williams had to be bowled as WI went in with two spinners and looked short on pac- ers. Those boundaries helped him get to a start and make 39 before a lack of judgement against spinners caught up with him.
In the Champions Trophy Shadab Khan got him out with a leg-break, and in the previous ODI, Devendra Bishoo got him out again with a leg-break that hit his pads as he tried to defend. On Friday too, Bishoo got him in similar fashion. Yuvraj was lucky in the first instance, on 28, when an appeal was turned down on a similar strike. West Indies did not push for a review even as replays showed he would have been out. However, in the second instance, the home players asked for a review and Yuvi had to return.
MS Dhoni struggled too and in the 39th over survived a couple of chances against Bishoo --- one of his shots landing in no man’s area while another mistimed shot was dropped at short third man.
But he made use of the opportunity, scoring his 63rd half-century to help India finish on a competitive 251/4. Kedar Jadhav gave him company with the duo putting on an unbeaten 81 runs for the fifth wicket.