India vs England, Cuttack ODI: Twin Tons From Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni Power India To 381/6
Jan 19, 2017 at 5:59 PM
Veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh scored career-best 150 runs and Mahendra Singh Dhoni completed his tenth ODI ton to guide India post a mammoth 381 for six in their first innings of the second One Dayer against England at Cuttack.
It was England who won the toss and asked India to bat first in Cuttack. Much like in the first One-Dayer, India got off to a bad start, losing three wickets within first five overs.
All-rounder Chris Woakes ripped through the top-order first dismissing KL Rahul and then get rid-off India’s captain Virat Kohli in the same over. Shikhar Dhawan was his last victim, as he nicked back on his stumps, leaving the hosts the state of worry early on.
It was then the nostalgia took over. The batting pair of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh turned the clock to good old days of the mid-2000s and pulled India out of trouble.
Yuvraj Singh led the charge from the front. The southpaw pierced gaps in almost every over and dragged the pressure back on to the visitors.
Contrasting to his image, MS Dhoni was slow to start but was crucial in keeping the run-rate going. Meanwhile, the former skipper completed his 4000 ODI runs in India, making him only the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to achieve this feat.
The batting pair settled their feet soon before the veteran batsman from Chandigarh unleashed his old beast mode. After five years, nine months and ten days, Yuvraj Singh completed his 14th ODI hundred, putting the hosts in full command of the situation.
Overs later, Dhoni too lifted his bat in the air, completing his tenth ODI hundred. Both these players stitched together a colossal 256 run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Woakes removed Yuvraj for well made 150, picking up his fourth scalp.
Kedar Jadhav, the last match’s hero came and hammered a quickfire 22 off ten balls, making English players toil and tumble. His innings was quickly wrapped up by Plunkett.
Ms Dhoni, then in the 48th over whacked three massive sixes to Plunkett, before falling on 134 runs.
Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja gave the finishing touch as India ended their first innings at 381/6 at the end of 50 overs.