Debutants dazzle as India beat England in ODI opener

Debutants Prasidh Krishna and Krunal Pandya enjoyed stellar starts to their 50-over careers as India defeated England by 66 runs in the first of three ODIs yesterday.

The match was set up by opener Shikhar Dhawan, who smashed 98, while KL Rahul (62 not out) and Krunal (58 not out) steered the hosts to 317-5 after being put into bat first in Pune. Captain Virat Kohli chipped in with 56.

England were bowled out for 251 in 42.1 overs despite Jonny Bairstow’s sizzling 94 from 66 balls.

Krishna, who returned ODI figures of 4-54 – a best by an Indian on debut – and fellow quick bowler Shardul Thakur shared seven wickets between them and turned the game on its head after Bairstow put on an opening partnership of 135 with Jason Roy.

Krishna broke the stand to send back Roy out for 46 and then struck in his next over with the key wicket of Ben Stokes for one. He nearly got his third on the next ball when Kohli dropped Eoin Morgan.

Thakur took over from Krishna to deny Bairstow his hundred after getting the opener caught at deep midwicket.

He then struck twice in his next over to send back Morgan, for 22, and Jos Buttler, lbw for two, as England slipped further to 176-5. Krunal and Krishna combined to wipe off the tail.

For India, left-hander Krunal, who played alongside his younger brother Hardik Pandya, put on an unbroken stand of 112 with wicketkeeper-batsman Rahul as India finished with a flourish. Stokes returned figures of 3-34 from eight overs.

Pandya completed his 50 in 26 balls, the fastest fifty for a debutant, and choked up with emotion while dedicating the innings to his father who died in January.