Though the hosts India suffered an eight-wicket defeat against Windies in the series-opener of the three-match ODI series, Indian captain Virat Kohli is happy on Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant‘s batting performances.
On Sunday (15th December), India and Windies played the first ODI at Chennai that Windies won by eight wickets with 13 balls remaining and also have taken the lead of 1-0 with two to go. While the hosts scored 287/8 in the first innings after losing the toss, the visitors chased down that target successfully in 47.5 overs after losing two wickets.
Indian opener KL Rahul (6) and the captain Virat Kohli (4) lost their wickets at very early. After getting settle down, the other opener Rohit Sharma was dismissed on 36 runs. Struggling on 80/3, Indian innings were impressively handled by Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. While Iyer-Pant put the 114 runs partnership for the fourth wicket, Iyer scored 70 runs, and the wicketkeeper-batsman Pant scored 71 runs. Their batting helped India to set a challenging target for the visiting side.
Virat Kohli feels that it is very good signs for them how Iyer and Pant handled the pressure situation and guided to the challenging first innings total.
Kohli said in the post-match presentation ceremony, “Very good signs for us with the performances of Iyer and Pant. Myself and Rohit not clicking today gave a good opportunity for the younsters to stitch together a partnership.”
At late of that Indian innings, Kedar Jadhav (40) and Ravindra Jadeja (21) also played crucial knocks.
I don’t think pitch changed drastically, Windies batted brilliantly – Virat Kohli
Chasing down that target, opener Sunil Ambris (9) lost his wicket at a very early stage. But the opening wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope and the no.3 batsman Shimron Hetmyer handled that early situation properly, and they built up a strong partnership that carried the team to the easy victory. While Hope-Hetmyer had the 218 runs partnership for the second wicket, both of them scored centuries in that innings. At one side, Hope was in patience and remained not out on 102 off 151 balls (7 fours and only six), Hetmyer was furious on the other side and smashed 139 runs 106 balls (11 fours and 7 sixes).
Virat Kohli doesn’t feel any drastic changes in the character of that pitch during second innings, rather than believes that the visitors batted brilliantly on that evening. Kohli also praised his IPL 2019 teammate (Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB) Hetmyer for his outstanding knock.
Kohli added, “You try to go in with as many options as you can. We thought six bowling options would be enough. I don’t think pitch changed drastically, they batted brilliantly. The spinners were getting help but they put pressure on our spinners brilliantly. Hetmyer’s innings was outstanding.”
The people sitting outside the field shouldn’t dictate what happens on the field
Ravindra Jadeja’s run-out created a big confusion in the Indian dressing room. On 47.4 overs of Indian innings, Roston Chase managed a direct hit to the non-striker end. While there was no appeal from the Caribbean side, the on-field umpires initially didn’t go for the third umpire assistance.
But after a few moments later, when the visitors realised that run-out, they went for an appeal. The on-field umpire accepted that appeal and signalled to the third umpire. While the replay showed that Jadeja was just short of the crease, the third umpire gave it out. However, the Indian captain Virat Kohli was unhappy with that decision, and he showed it immediately on the side-line.
After that match, Kohli gave his view on that controversial dismissal where he was still unacceptable mood. He feels that they could add some more runs if that controversial dismissal wasn’t given which could ultimately change the situation of that match.
Kohli added, “We would have got 15-20 runs more had something not happended out there. The fielder asked about the run-out and the umpire said not-out. This dismissals end there. The people sitting outside cannot tell the fielder and they can’t ask the umpire about reviewing the run out. I have never seen this in cricket. I don’t know where the rules are. The referee and the umpire has to take the up and decide. The people sitting outside the field shouldn’t dictate what happens on the field and that’s exactly what happened there.”
India and Windies will play the second ODI of this series on Wednesday (18th December) at Visakhapatnam.