Leaving behind the recent debacle that not only marred their campaign in the Champions Trophy but also the buildup to the ongoing series, Team India got back to what it does bat that is scoring runs as they scored 199 for 3 in 39.2 over in the series-opener against Windies before rain ended the match.
The last few days had been extremely tough for the Men in Blue not only because of the defeat they suffered at the hands of Pakistan in the final of the Champions Trophy but also the way Anil Kumble stepped down as the coach of the team. But leaving behind all the setbacks and controversies, opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan started from the same place where he had left in the Champions Trophy and was well-supported by Ajinkya Rahane.
After being invited to bat first, Dhawan and Rahane went off to a steady start with the former doing the bulk of the runs early on while the latter took his time before playing his shots as he took 17 deliveries to hit his first boundary. But once the right-handed batsman got his eye in, he matched Dhawan shot for shot as the duo added their fifth consecutive fifty-plus stands in ODIs.
Last five stands b/w Rahane & Dhawan – 83, 125, 56, 112 & 52* – the fifth Indian pair to put together five+ consecutive 50+ stands.#WIvIND
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) June 23, 2017
The partnership soon turned into a century stand and finally came to an end when Rahane misread a slower catch and offered an easy catch to Jason Holder off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph to be dismissed for 62 off 78 balls. Dhawan was then joined by captain Virat Kohli and the duo took the score over 150 before the former was dismissed by Devendra Bishoo for 87.
The hosts then dismissed Yuvraj Singh (4) cheaply to claw their way back into the innings before rain intervened. India were 189 for 3 after 38 overs with Kohli batting on 30 and Dhoni on 2 when rain stopped play. The match started after about half an hour but the players managed to remain on the field for just 1.2 overs before they were forced to leave the field due to rain.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:
"Jadeja bahar aaja Pandya Kuchh nahi bolega pakka" pic.twitter.com/Smp5mlNtQ1
— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) June 23, 2017
124* – is now India's best opening stand in ODIs in the Caribbean.
Prev: 123 btw Shikhar Dhawan/Rohit Sharma in July 2013.#WIvInd— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) June 23, 2017
Most runs by Indians in ODIs in West Indies:
500* – YUVRAJ SINGH
489 – Rohit Sharma
454 – Virender Sehwag
420 – Sourav Ganguly#WIvIND— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) June 23, 2017
West Indies Won The Toss And Trolled Kohli By Asking Him To Bat First…#WIvIND
— Babu Bhaiya (@Shahrcasm) June 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/Langer_Mayanti/status/878231199457525761
Empty stands…for an ODI game involving India. Not enough Indians left in West Indies? #WIvIND
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 23, 2017
One thing is good about this match, it has more spectators in the stadium than people watching Tubelight in theatre.#WIvIND
— sunil the cricketer (@1sInto2s) June 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/sagarcasm/status/878261083999543296