England fail to build on their stunning start against India
ENGLAND were unable to capitalise on a rampaging opening stand from Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy as India claimed a 66-run victory in the first of three one-day internationals at Pune.
Set 318 to win, England’s vaunted openers flew out of the traps, putting on an extraordinary 135 in 14.2 overs, but Roy’s dismissal opened the floodgates and, despite Bairstow’s belligerent 94 from 66 balls, the tourists subsided.
Prasidh Krishna had been overwhelmed early on on debut, but he recovered to finish with four for 54 as England were bundled out for 251 in 42.1 overs after a late surge from KL Rahul and Krunal Pandya had helped India to 317 for five.
Eoin Morgan required four stitches on his hand, while Sam Billings sprained his collarbone joint after an awkward fall and, although they were able to bat, the pair were off the field in the closing stages of India’s innings.
The absence of Morgan’s calming influence was a particular blow as Rahul and Krunal, making his ODI bow, brutalised England’s bowlers in an unbroken 112-run stand, helping India recover after losing four for 36 at one stage.
Shikhar Dhawan (98) and Virat Kohli (56) ultimately laid the foundations for Rahul (62 not out off 43 balls) and Krunal (58no off 31), who embraced his brother Hardik at the end of his knock, the pair having lost their father in mid-January.
It was a boundary-laden partnership, with Rahul lethal in the arc between long-off and midwicket to flay four sixes and as many fours, while Krunal scored all around the wicket to bring up his fifty off just 26 balls, the fastest by a debutant in ODIs. But, if that was impressive, then Bairstow and Roy went up another gear at the beginning of England’s reply.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was typically economical but Roy was into his stride with successive fours off India debutant Krishna, who conceded an eyewatering 22 in an over as Yorkshire’s Bairstow went into overdrive, having taken six from his first 18 balls.
Kohli shuffled his pack, turning to Krunal and Kuldeep Yadav early on, but the spinners were powerless to stop Bairstow’s onslaught, conceding two sixes apiece as the Yorkshireman heaved across the line with impunity to take the lead in an incredible 135-run stand in less than 15 overs.
There would have been a sigh of relief in the home camp as Roy miscued to point for 46, while Stokes’ move up the order in Joe Root’s absence backfired as he chipped to extra cover to give Krishna two wickets in two overs.
Morgan was given a let-off from his first ball after a diving Kohli could not cling on to a chance at slip, but the wickets continued to tumble as Bairstow holed out to deep midwicket off Shardul Thakur to fall short of his hundred.
Thakur (three for 37) further swung the pendulum India’s way as Morgan (22) got a thin edge to a bouncer, while Jos Buttler was trapped on the crease for two, continuing a run of single-figure scores in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup.
England had lurched from 135 without loss to 176 for five and it was ultimately a position they were unable to recover from as India drew first blood in the series.