West Indies vs. India: Cricket
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History
A brief overview: till 2016
India vs West Indies: What the statistics say, October 4, 2018: The Times of India
Though India are strong favourites against the West Indies despite their recent Test series defeat in England, the Virat Kohli-led side cannot afford to be complacent as the Jason Holder-led West Indies will be heading into the series on the back of a successful home season where they drew a Test series against Sri Lanka and then drubbed Bangladesh 2-0.
It will be West Indies' first India tour since the Caribbean side abandoned their 2014 trip due to a players' pay dispute with their national cricket board.
India have the perfect opportunity to find a solution to their top-order batting woes before their year-end series in Australia.
Here's a look at some of the statistics between India and West Indies in Test cricket:
MATCHES IN INDIA
Tests: 45
Won by India: 11
Won by West Indies: 14
Draws: 20
OVERALL
Tests: 94
Won by India: 18
Won by West Indies: 30
Draws: 46
MOST RUNS (OVERALL)
Sunil Gavaskar: 2749
MOST HUNDREDS (OVERALL)
Sunil Gavaskar: 13
MOST WICKETS (OVERALL)
Kapil Dev: 89
MOST FIVE-WICKET HAULS IN AN INNINGS (OVERALL)
Malcolm Marshall: Six
2013-14: Indian victories
INDIA'S LAST 5 WINS OVER WI
RUCHIR MISHRA The Times of India Mar 04 2015
A PERFECT GAME
DHARAMSALA (OCT 17, 2014)
India 330-6 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 127, Suresh Raina 71, Ajinkya Rahane 68) beat West Indies 271 in 48.1 overs (Marlon Samuels 112; Bhuvneshwar 2-25, Axar 2-26) by 59 runs.SUMMARY: Led by a superb top-order show, India posted a massive total on the board, maintaining a good run rate throughout and had partnerships right till the end. Then, the new ball bowlers struck early blows and that proved decisive despite a fightback by Samuels and Russell.LESSONS: Early strikes by pacers let the spinners dictate terms during the middle overs.
ESCAPE TO VICTORY
DELHI (OCT 11, 2014)
India 263-7 in 50 overs (Kohli 62, Raina 62, Dhoni 51*; Jerome Taylor 3-54) beat West Indies 215 in 46.3 overs (Dwayne Smith 97, Kieron Pollard 40; Md Shami 4-36, Ravindra Jadeja 3-44) by 48 runs.SUMMARY: It was a case of the opposition gifting the game rather than India winning it. West Indies were under control for most of the match while chasing 264 till they goofed up during the Powerplay. They lost two set batsmen when they needed just a run a ball. Then, Shami and Jadeja ran through the middle and lower order.LESSONS: One of the top-order batsmen should anchor the innings to help India post a big total.
SHIKHAR SHINES
KANPUR (NOV 27, 2013)
West Indies 263-5 in 50 overs (Samuels 71, Kieran Powell 70, Darren Bravo 51; R Ashwin 2-45) lost to India 266-5 in 46.1 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 119, Yuvraj Singh 55).SUMMARY: A perfect game for India where they did most of the things right. On a good batting surface, they restricted the opposition to a manageable score. The pacers didn't take early wickets but didn't go for runs and the spinners suffocated the middle order. Despite losing two early wickets, India chased down the target with ease as Dhawan anchored the innings with a brilliant ton.LESSONS: Instead of leaving it for others, a set batsman should finish the job.
SPINNERS TO THE FORE
KOCHI (NOV 21, 2013)
West Indies 211 in 48.5 overs (Darren Bravo 59; Jadeja 3-37, Raina 3-34) lost to India 2124 in 35.2 overs (Kohli 86, Rohit Sharma 72) by six wickets.SUMMARY: Indian spinners pulled it back after some wayward spells from fast bowlers. West Indies struggled to get going against the slower bowlers and fell way short of a competitive total. With a sensible second-wicket stand, India chased the down the target with ease.LESSON: The spinners may also have an off day and in that case, India can give away too many runs as the pacers could be profligate.
KOHLI SPECIAL
PORT OF SPAIN (JULY 5, 2013)
India 311-7 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 102, Shikhar Dhawan 69; Rohit Sharma 46; Tino Best 2-51) beat West Indies (Revised target: 274 in 39 overs) 171 in 34 overs (Jonathan Charles 45; Bhuvneshwar 3-29, Umesh Yadav 3-32) by 102 runs (DL method).SUMMARY: Indian top order did a decent job after being put in bowler friendly conditions and despite the middle-order collapse, India managed to cross the 300-run mark, thanks largely to Kohli's responsible hundred. Indian pacers utilised the conditions better than their West Indian counterparts and the hosts were never in game while chasing.
LESSONS: Indian batsmen should be careful during the batting powerplay.
They almost frittered away a great start.
ODIs
Played in India
Top 5 most memorable ODIs
Manish Kumar, February 4, 2022: The Times of India
NEW DELHI: West Indies played their maiden ODI series in India in 1983 and their last ODI series in India was in 2019. Between this period, both the teams have played 58 ODIs in India with the home team emerging victorious on 29 occasions, losing 28 matches with 1 ODI ending in a tie.
Here we look at the top five most memorable ODIs between India and West Indies played in India:
1993 – Kolkata, Hero Cup final: India won by 102 runs
The stage was the Hero Cup final in front of a boisterous Eden Gardens crowd on November 27, 1993. Vinod Kambli’s 68 and captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s 38 took India to 225/7.
Chasing 226, the top four Windies batsmen were removed by Manoj Prabhakar (took Phil Simmons' wicket), Sachin Tendulkar (dismissed Brian Lara) and Kapil Dev (removed Richie Richardson and Keith Arthurton) respectively.
From then on, it was Anil Kumble all the way, who ran through the Windies line-up, picking up as many as six wickets giving away just 12 runs off 6.1 overs as India won the match by 102 runs.
Kumble's 6/12 remained the best ODI bowling figures by an Indian for 21 years.
1987 – Nagpur, 1st ODI: West Indies won by 10 runs
The sight of Patrick Patterson running in to bowl was enough to instill fear in the hearts of batsmen. The high lift of the left leg and smashing it down on the pitch with brute force, only added to his fearsome aura.
Patterson's burly physique and broad shoulders were enough to send the red cherry screaming through on the surface and it was one of those days on December 8, 1987 at Nagpur when he really let it rip.
Patterson sent the Indian batsmen scurrying for cover as the hosts failed to chase down a 204-run target and were bundled out for 193 runs in 44.4 overs, despite Kapil Dev’s 87-run knock off 64 balls.
Patterson's 6/29 in 9.4 overs helped the West Indies win the match by 10 runs.
1983 – Jamshedpur, 4th ODI: West Indies won by 104 runs
This match was part of a series tagged the "Revenge Series" that the Windies came to play in India after losing the 1983 World Cup final to India.
The brute strike force of Vivian Richards on December 7, 1983 at Jamshedpur was enough to set the stands on fire. Opener Gordon Greenidge scored 115, but Richards sent the Indian bowlers on a leather hunt by smacking three sixes and as many as 20 fours in his 149-run knock that came off just 99 deliveries.
Richards' knock powered the Windies to 333/8. Sunil Gavaskar's 83 wasn't enough to take India anywhere near victory as the hosts lost by 104 runs and the Windies took a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.
2011 – Indore, 4th ODI: India won by 153 runs
This match, on December 8, 2011 at Indore, is largely remembered for Virender Sehwag becoming the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to hit a double century in one-day internationals.
Leading the side in the absence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Nawab of Najafgarh took the West Indies bowling attack to the cleaners by smashing 7 sixes and 25 fours in his swashbuckling knock of 219 off 149 balls.
Sehwag's fiery knock ensured that India finished with their highest ODI total at that time (418/5), with notable contributions from Gautam Gambhir (67) and Suresh Raina (55).
At that time, India’s total was the joint fourth-highest by any side and also the tenth 400-plus total in ODIs at that time as India romped home to a 153-run win, despite Denesh Ramdin’s 96 as the Windies were bowled out for 265 runs.
1989 – Nehru Cup, 8th ODI: West Indies won by 20 runs
West Indies captain Vivian Richards first scored 44 runs with the bat and then turned the match on its head with the ball as India failed to chase down a 197-run target on October 23, 1989. India were seemingly cruising, till Richards came into the attack after the likes of Curtly Ambrose, Winston Benjamin, Courtney Walsh and Malcolm Marshall.
Raman Lamba top scored with 61, but then the Indian batting order just collapsed like a pack of cards as Richards bamboozled the host batsmen with his slow deliveries.
Richards' 6/41 in 9.4 overs saw India crashing to 176 all out, enabling the visitors to register a 20-run victory.
A brief history, till 2017
Bowling: Top five spells, till 2017
Ahead of the ODI series between India and West Indies, here's a look at the top five most successful ODI bowling spells in matches played between the two teams:
Anil Kumble: 6/12 at Kolkata (1993)
This bowling spell was one for the record books. It was notched up in the Hero Cup final in front of a boisterous Eden Gardens crowd on November 27, 1993. Chasing 226, the top four Windies batsmen were removed by Manoj Prabhakar (took Phil Simmons' wicket), Sachin Tendulkar (dismissed Brian Lara) and Kapil Dev (removed Richie Richardson and Keith Arthurton) respectively. From then on, it was Anil Kumble all the way, who ran through the Windies line-up, picking up as many as six wickets giving away just 12 runs off 6.1 overs as India won the match by 102 runs. Kumble's 6/12 remained the best ODI bowling figures by an Indian for 21 years.
Patrick Patterson: 6/29 at Nagpur (1987)
The sight of Patrick Patterson running in to bowl was enough to instill fear in the hearts of batsmen. The high lift of the left leg and smashing it down on the pitch with his brute force, only added to his fearsome aura. Patterson's burly physique and broad shoulders were enough to send the red cherry screaming through on the surface and it was one of those days on December 8 1987 at Nagpur when he really let it rip. Patterson sent the Indian batsmen scurrying for cover as the hosts failed to chase down a 204-run target and were bundled out for 193 runs in 44.4 overs. Patterson's 6/29 in 9.4 overs helped the West Indies to win the match by 10 runs.
Vivian Richards: 6/41 at Delhi (1989)
A surprise entry on this list. Vivian Richards first scored 57 runs with the bat and then turned the match on its head with the ball as India failed to chase down a 197-run target on October 23, 1989. India were seemingly cruising, till Richards came into the attack after the likes of Curtly Ambrose, Winston Benjamin, Courtney Walsh and Malcolm Marshall. The Indian batting order just collapsed like a pack of cards as Richards bamboozled the host batsmen with his slow deliveries. Richards' 6/41 in 9.4 overs saw India crashing to 176 all out, enabling the visitors to register a 20-run victory.
Nikhil Chopra: 5/21 at Toronto (1999)
This was a time when Ricardo Powell was the new kid on the block, famous for his lusty hits. But his 73-ball 76, studded with 7 sixes and 3 fours was not enough to carry the Windies to victory on September 14, 1999. Nikhil Chopra's five-wicket haul (including the dismissals of Brian Lara and Mervyn Dillon off successive balls and four outstanding catches by Rahul Dravid) saw the Windies being bowled out for 137 runs in 34.2 overs. Though Chopra's 5/21 off 6.2 overs was overshadowed by Powell's brilliant power-hitting, in the end it was India who emerged victorious by 88 runs in the final of the DMC Cup in Canada.
Sanjeev Sharma: 5/26 at Sharjah (1988)
Sanjeev Sharma played only 23 ODIs for India, taking 22 wickets in his career. But those 22 wickets included a dream spell of 5/26, that was registered in the first match of the Champions Trophy in Sharjah on October 16, 1988. Riding on Krishnamachari Srikkanth's 112 and Dilip Vengsarkar's unbeaten 76, India scored 238/5 in their 50 overs vs the West Indies. Sharma outshone his new ball partner, the great Kapil Dev, by taking five wickets in 7.3 overs. Narendra Hirwani took 4/50 but Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief as India won the match by 23 runs.
Guwahati: India wins by eight wickets
From: Pratik Bandyopadhyay, ROHIT-VIRAT BLITZKRIEG STEAMROLLS WINDIES, October 22, 2018: The Times of India
From: Pratik Bandyopadhyay, ROHIT-VIRAT BLITZKRIEG STEAMROLLS WINDIES, October 22, 2018: The Times of India
India Race To 8-Wicket Win In First ODI After Hetmyer Cracks A Dazzling Century
Performance delights, class wins. It is the class of Indian batting that made the difference in the first One-day International between India and the West Indies at Barsapara Cricket Stadium here. In the first ODI hosted by this stadium, India handed the Windies their first ever defeat in this city, by eight wickets.
The 323-run target was made to look too easy in the end by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The chase was reminiscent of the one these two pulled off against Australia at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on October 16, 2013. On that occasion the target was bigger and the bowling better, albeit on paper. India had won with 39 balls to spare with just one wicket down, this time they won with 47 balls to spare with two down. Moral of the story --- no matter how many runs India chase, they will win with overs to spare if Virat and Rohit are on song.
It became so easy at one point on Sunday that an over without a boundary or a six became a rarity. The West Indian bowling and fielding became listless after the first few overs. Full tosses and boundaries through the legs started following each other. With dew playing its part, Jason Holder & Co were under so much pressure that they were found guilty of flouting field restrictions more than once.
West Indies started their defence of the total well, with debutant Oshane Thomas bowling in the high 140s, hurrying both Indian openers. That resulted in Shikhar Dhawan playing on to his stumps. The young quick even had Kohli in a spot of bother when he induced an outside edge with surprising bounce. That stirred the genius’s ego and the next ball got a picture-perfect flick through mid-wicket for four. There was no stopping him after that.
Rohit, meanwhile, was going at close to run-a-ball with the occasional boundary. He became more aggressive after completing his fifty as he always does. Eventually. he took four balls less than Kohli to complete his century. Kohli had taken 88, he took 84. It looked as if they were batting against bowling machines and practising their drives, pulls, cuts, sweeps till Devendra Bishoo finally got one to spin past the bat and Shai Hope whipped off Kohli’s bails.
It is a pity that the visitors’ day ended in such a way because their show with the bat bettered expectations.
What do you do when a West Indian left-hander is short, has a big back lift, pulls standing on one leg and is in sublime form? You watch and admire. Even if you are the opposition captain. That is what Virat Kohli was left to do for a major portion of the West Indies innings as he saw them pile up 322 for eight.
The brilliance of baby-faced Shimron Hetmyer (106 off 78 balls) reduced the Indian captain to one of the 37,000-strong crowd who got a hint of what Caribbean cricket used to be in its better days. When the centurion eventually got out, the spectators were on their feet and Kohli went up to the kid, shook hands and patted him on the back. But he did not stop there. He put on an even better show with his own bat.
Mumbai: India’s 224-Run Victory
From: Nitin Naik, Rohit, Rayudu Tons Set Up Massive 224-Run Victory In Fourth One-Dayer, October 30, 2018: The Times of India
India skipper Virat Kohli showed he is human after all. He did not get a hundred in the fourth ODI against West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium. He feathered one off pacer Kemar Roach to wicketkeeper Shai Hope and was dismissed for 16.
That was the only time that one sensed the crowd. Sometimes, the silence of even a small crowd can be deafening.
And that is what one heard as India, after electing to bat first on a belter, ended up with a massive 377 for 5 courtesy hundreds from Rohit Sharma 162 (137 balls, 20x4, 4x6) and Ambati Rayudu 100 (81 b, 8x4, 4x6).
Kohli might have missed out on a fourth successive ODI ton but he more than made up for it in the field by running out Kieran Powell at the non-striker’s end with a Jonty-like diving stop at cover and an Azharuddin-like backward flip.
The run out typified India’s intensity in the field as one of West Indies’ mainstays, Shai Hope, too was run out by a direct hit from Kuldeep from mid-on. Hope’s departure for a duck crushed any hopes the Windies had of staging a fightback. Khaleel Ahmed further dented their spirits by bowling with skill and energy to dismiss Shimron Hetmyer, Roman Powell and Marlon Samuels. The visitors were bowled out for 153, crashing to a 224-run defeat.
India now lead the five-match series 2-1 with the fifth to be played at Thiruvananthapuram (weather permitting) on Thursday.
While Kohli disappointed the crowd that had turned up to watch him bat, his deputy did not. Rohit, a local hero, creamed, caressed, pulled and drove delightfully to compile his 21st ODI century. His footwork and placement were exemplary and what was refreshing was his willingness to take on the anchor’s role once Kohli departed and leave the risk taking to Rayudu.
Rayudu was more than game for that role. After showing caution initially, he came into his own. The temperamental Hyderabad batsman has been given the vote of confidence to bat at No. 4 by Kohli for a reason. He is good against pace and spin and off the latter, he uses the depth of the crease and his feet beautifully. He can also rotate the strike using soft hands.
Rayudu displayed all those traits on Monday to collect timely boundaries and ease the pressure on Rohit.
Not that Rohit was averse to risk-taking but he need not take many when he has three strokes for every ball and every length once set. He showed a familiar appetite for destruction on flat tracks on Monday too as he extended his record of most 150-plus ODI scores to seven.
Rayudu endured a quiet period briefly, but soon resumed his attacking role to get to his third ODI hundred.
It was evident on match eve itself how comfortable Rayudu was with the surroundings the moment he walked in to the CCI. After all, it was here that his career renaissance had begun in 2010 when he played for Mumbai Indians after a spell in the wilderness and a stint with the renegade ICL.
Rohit and Rayudu’s 211-run alliance for the third wicket off just 163 balls will deflect criticism off Shikhar Dhawan who wasted yet another good start this year. The opener looked in dazzling touch but pulled a short delivery off Keemo Paul straight down midwicket’s throat to be dismissed for 38, prompting Paul to mimic the thigh-five celebration that the opener often indulges in after pouching a catch.
Dhawan has batted 18 times in ODIs this year, but has fallen between 30 and 50 nine times.
Pune: West Indies beat India by 43 runs
Amit Karmarkar, FINALLY, A WIN FOR THE WINDIES, October 28, 2018: The Times of India
From: Amit Karmarkar, FINALLY, A WIN FOR THE WINDIES, October 28, 2018: The Times of India
Kohli’s Third Ton On Trot Can’t Prevent India’s 43-Run Defeat
When Virat Kohli fielded near the boundary line, that section of the crowd led the chanting, and the stadium followed. But when Virat walked back to the pavilion, an entire stadium fell silent. The Indian captain scored his third successive ton – 107 off 119 balls – in the series, but the West Indies were able to pull off a 43-run win in the third ODI at Gahunje Stadium.
The Pune outcome gave Kohli’s ton a unique dimension. His three successive hundreds in the series have now ended with all the possible results: a win, a tie and a defeat.
The result put the series level at one-all and either side need to win the remaining two games to clinch it.
The visitors’ first win of the tour couldn’t have come at a better time, and in the city where they had famously lost to Kenya in the 1996 World Cup. The West Indies were playing here for the first time since that game 22 years ago.
West Indies made 283-9 with comeback pacer Jasprit Bumrah taking 4-35. India replied with 240 in 47.4 overs with offie Ashely Nurse (2-43) and Marlon Samuels (3-12 in 3.4 overs) – who dismissed Kohli — hurting them the most. Skipper Jason Holder got the scalp of MS Dhoni (7) caught behind.
Kohli’s ton contained 10 fours and a six (at a strike rate of 5.39 per over). The rest of the Indian batsmen scored 127 off 167 (strike rate 4.56 per over).
It was Kohli’s 23rd ODI ton while chasing a target and only the third in a losing cause after Napier (123 vs NZ, 2013-14) and Canberra (106 vs Aus, 2015-16).
When an edgy and unconvincing MS Dhoni got out, India needed 90 more runs of 14.1 overs with five wickets in hand. Then came a Kohli hundred without his animated celebration. He knew that task of 82 runs off 12.5 was not that easy given the conditions.
Earlier, it was left to the West Indies tail to wag and hurt the hosts. India had succeeded in keeping West Indies under 300 after allowing them to score 320-plus in the first two ODIs. But after 121-5 in the 23rd over here, they allowed the West Indies lower order to add 162 runs. The visitors’ ninth-wicket pair of Kemar Roach (15) and Nurse (40 off 22) added 56 runs in 36 balls.
After his unbeaten 123 at Vizag, the West Indies No. 3 bat Shai Hope’s attempt to score a second successive ton fell short by just five runs. His 95 came off 113 balls with six fours and three sixes before he was yorked by Bumrah.
When Shimron Hetmyer was batting all guns blazing (37 off 21 balls, 2x4s, 3x6s), Hope was happy to play second fiddle. His contribution in their 56-run stand that came in 6.2 overs was mere 18. But later, he took over anchoring the innings and was the eighth man out when the score was 227.
Kohli called correct after winning the toss and fielded first. He also didn’t interfere much with field suggested by former skipper Dhoni.
300 England’s Chris Broad has become the second referee after Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle (338) to officiate in 300 or more matches in ODIs.
76 Wickets taken by Bumrah at 21.09 runs apiece in 42 matches. His tally is the highest among pacers since Bumrah made his ODI debut. Trent Boult (73 at 25.41 in 38 matches) and Hasan Ali (73 at 22.39 in 38 matches) are joint second.
71.83 Shai Hope’s average while scoring 431 runs in seven innings, including a hundred and three fifties, against India.
4/35 Jasprit Bumrah’s figures, his best in 18 One-dayers in India. His previous best was 3/35 vs New Zealand in Delhi on Oct 20, 2016.
Thiruvananthapuram: India wins by nine-wickets, takes series 3-1
Narayanan S, ANOTHER HOME SERIES IN THE BAG, November 2, 2018: The Times of India
From: Narayanan S, ANOTHER HOME SERIES IN THE BAG, November 2, 2018: The Times of India
Clinical India Beat Abysmal Windies In Fifth ODI, Clinch Sixth Home Rubber On The Trot
The ball swung from the beginning for the seamers and it spun for the spinners. It also stopped on the batsmen, making batting a tricky business. Add to that some mindless shots by the West Indies batsmen and what had the potential to be a thrilling series decider turned out to be a damp squib here at the Sports Hub on Thursday as India cruised to a nine-wicket win and took the series 3-1.
West Indies were bowled out for a paltry 104 in 31.5 overs and India chased down the target in 14.1 overs losing just one wicket. India finished the match in just three-and-a-half-hours, and in the process made the threat of possible evening showers irrelevant. Ravindra Jadeja (4/34) capitalized on the good start given by the seamers to set up India’s sixth consecutive series win at home. This was also India’s eighth successive series triumph against West Indies.
The pitch at Sports Hub was not a batting paradise as most expected, and even Jason Holder seemed to have misread it after electing to bat. Five of their batsmen perished going for ambitious lofted shots, four among them caught in the deep on a track where 220-240 looked a fighting total to defend.
West Indies decided to go for an all-Powell opening partnership with Rovman Powell, who had struggled against spin, promoted to open the batting in place of Chandrapaul Hemraj.
The troubles of Kieron Powell (0) though had no end as Bhuvneshwar Kumar got the ball rolling with a delivery that moved away from the left-hander and got the nick. Dhoni did the rest to snap his 425th dismissal as a wicketkeeper, rising to third in ODIs, pipping Mark Boucher. He has only Kumar Sangakkara (482) and Adam Gilchrist (472) ahead of him.
Jasprit Bumrah then got the big wicket in his first over. Shai Hope, the joint top-scorer for Windies till then in the series with 250 runs, could not add to his tally. Bumrah surprised Hope (0) with prodigious movement off the deck to dislodge the timber.
Marlon Samuels has a history of coming good in crunch matches and for a while, it looked he was getting into the groove. Samuels welcomed Khaleel Ahmed by launching him over long-on for a six and then picking him over midwicket for a four.
However, Jadeja, who had started with a maiden against Samuels (24), got the better of the veteran in his next over with a ball that gripped and turned. Samuels’ half-hearted poke landed safely in the hands of skipper Kohli at extra cover.
Shimron Hetmyer, already a hit among locals because of his swashbuckling batting style, was greeted with huge cheers. But Jadeja trapped him in front for nine. The umpire did not give it out initially but on Jadeja’s insistence Kohli opted for a review and India got their man.
From then on, the batting was inexplicable at best. Rovman Powell (16) pulled Khaleel straight to deep-square leg. Fabian Allen (4) top-edged a hook off Bumrah to fine-leg. Captain Holder (25), solid till then, attempted to loft Khaleel over mid-off and perished to Jadhav again, at mid-off. Any hope of a West Indies revival was over once Holder was gone as the seventh wicket and Indian bowlers wrapped up the rest.
Vishakhapatnam: A tie
Vivek Krishnan, Virat takes a bow, Windies tie, October 25, 2018: The Times of India
From: Vivek Krishnan, Virat takes a bow, Windies tie, October 25, 2018: The Times of India
Visitors Lose Way In Final Overs Despite Hope’s 123*& Hetmyer’s 94 In Second ODI
It doesn’t always happen that both teams finish disappointed at the end of an engrossing eight-hour struggle. But Virat Kohli and Shai Hope’s faces said it all— both believed they could win till the last ball, yet both fell short, albeit for a tie. Hope (123 not out) Shimron Hetmyer (94) were quite outstanding and West Indies finally turned up in a daunting run chase of 322, but it wasn’t enough.
Chasing 322 after Virat Kohli struck his 37th ODI hundred and became the fastest to 10000 ODI runs, the visitors seemed well on course for a victory when they needed 22 off 18 balls with Hope at the crease. But leggie Yuzvendra Chahal’s miserly over, which yielded only 2 runs and the run out of Jason Holder, brought the pressure back on the visitors. Mohammed Shami followed up on the good work of Chahal and conceded six runs in the 49th over, bringing the equation down to 14 from the last over.
West Indies were a bit fortunate when a leg-bye went for four in the second ball of the last over bowled by Umesh Yadav. Umesh, though, managed the wicket of Ashley Nurse in the over, and it came down to five off the last ball. But Hope kept his calm and slashed on the offside that went for four and the game was tied.
It wasn’t at all easy for the Caribbeans after Kohli had battered and bruised them with an unbeaten 157 from 129 balls as India reached 321 for 6.
But for the West Indians, Hope and Hetmyer were instrumental in turning the tables. During their 143-run partnership in 119 balls for the fourth wicket, Hetmyer played the role of aggressor, taking a special liking to the leg side against the three spinners.
The left-hander kept hitting sixes for fun, picking both Chahal and Kuldeep, and there was a time when it seemed that West Indies would run away with it. But with the asking rate reading less than six, Hetmyer’s inexperience came to the fore when he tried an extravagant pull off Chahal and skied it to Kohli. The nerves crept in after that for West Indies and the onfield Indian thinktank of Kohli and MS Dhoni kept making things even more difficult for the chasers with their smart manoeuvres. But Hope ensured that the visitors at least had something to show after such a good day’s work.
Earlier, Rayudu provided Kohli good company after joining hands at 40 for 2 with a 139-run partnership for the third wicket from just 142 balls. This was an ideal opportunity for Rayudu to play a substantial knock and strengthen his hold on the No. 4 spot. With an innings of 73 from 80 balls, it’s safe to say he made most of it.
As they began to find their groove, the West Indian shoulders expectedly began to drop. The tourists weren’t helped by their fielding either, with skipper Holder himself guilty of dropping Kohli on 44 while running back from mid-off.
Kohli duly made them pay by bringing up his second consecutive hundred, an authoritative cut through the off-side off Marlon Samuels getting him there. After that, there was simply no stopping him. While he smashed rookie Obed McCoy for a couple of sixes over longon, the maximum off Kemar Roach through cover in the 48th over was one for posterity.
T20s
Chennai: India wins
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From: Shilarze Saharoy, Dhawan (92), Pant (58) help India notch up last-ball victory, November 12, 2018: The Times of India
T20s are all about close finishes and the Sunday thriller at the MA Chidambaram Stadium provided the entertainment that the fans expect from the format.
For large parts of the game, though, it seemed India would run away with an easy win till things got tight in the last over bowled by left-arm spinner Fabien Allen. The spinner had five runs to play with and Shikhar Dhawan (92) was well entrenched. The southpaw, who batted confidently till then, stroked a couple and a single off the first two deliveries before his partner Manish Pandey rotated the strike again with a run to tie the score.
Dhawan, though, failed to hit the winning run from the fourth delivery. Now, with one needed off the last two, the pressure built and Dhawan crumbled as he holed out to long on. The batsmen crossed and it all came down to Pandey. The 29-year-old, though, held his nerves and tapped Allen’s last ball gently towards mid-on. If Allen had not misfielded off his own bowling, a run-out was on the cards, but luckily for Pandey, he did and the Karnataka batsman completed the run to ensure the six-wicket for India. The victory meant a clean sweep for Rohit Sharma’s boys in the T20 series.
Before the last-over drama, Dhawan and Rishabh Pant looked in control. While Dhawan took India close to the finish-line, Pant, who had scored only 79 runs in six T20Is till Sunday’s game, finally hit form by smashing his maiden half-century (58) in this format. The two southpaws shared a stand of 130 runs for the third wicket after Rohit and KL Rahul departed early.
Batting with authority, Dhawan and Pant handled the West Indies bowlers well on a slow pitch. The way Pant hit Pollard for a six towards mid-wicket with only a swing of his bottom-hand was a treat for the 21,000-odd crowd. Dhawan, on the other hand, took a more cautious approach.
The two batsmen’s good work overshadowed the efforts of the West Indies batsmen earlier in the match. Spearheaded by the young Nicholas Pooran, the Windies finally came to the party. With India already winning the series, the West Indies had nothing to lose and it enabled their batsmen to bat with freedom. They were also aided by the absence of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav — bowlers who tormented their batsmen relentlessly.
Kolkata: India struggles to win
Archiman Bhaduri, INDIA MAKE HEAVY WEATHER OF 110, November 5, 2018: The Times of India
Recover From 45/4 To Win By 5 Wkts After Kuldeep Chokes WI
Indian batsmen made heavy weather of a 110-run target before recording a five-wicket victory against the West Indies in the first Twenty20 International at Eden Gardens here on Sunday evening to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Debutant spin-bowling all-rounder Krunal Pandya and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav choked the West Indies batsmen bowling in tandem in the middle overs after India skipper Rohit Sharma had asked the Caribbean side to bat first.
The two left-arm tweakers broke the backbone of the Windies innings in their eight overs to stop them at 109 for 8 — their lowest-ever T20I score against India. Incidentally, the Windies had recorded their lowest ODI total against the Indians just three days back when they were bowled out for 104 in the fifth and final match of the series in Thiruvananthapuram.
The Indian top-order was then rattled by another T20I debutant Oshane Thomas, who unnerved the batsmen with raw pace. Skipper Rohit had a rare off day at this venue and was the first to depart as he got an inside edge to one that came back sharply to be caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin in the very first over.
Shikhar Dhawan played the wrong line to have his middle stump uprooted in Thomas’ next over. In Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s absence, much was expected from Rishabh Pant. But the youngster failed to capitalize on the opportunity and fell to a rash stroke, getting a top edge off Windies skipper Carlos Brathwaite to offer Darren Bravo an easy catch at point.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik then took charge to guide India home. The Kolkata Knight Riders skipper played a sensible innings at his ‘home’ ground to remain unbeaten on 31 (34 balls, 3x4, 1x6). He shared a 38-run fifth-wicket stand with Manish Pandey (19, 24b, 2x4) to steady the ship after India were reduced to 45 for 4.
Pandya made his debut even more memorable by hitting the winning runs (a boundary) to remain unbeaten on a 9-ball 21 which included three fours.
Earlier, the Pandya-Yadav duo tilted the match India’s way by picking up four wickets conceding just 29 runs in eight overs. Pandya was greeted by Kieron Pollard with the first six of the match in his first over. But the left-arm spinner had the last laugh as he had his IPL teammate caught at long-on by Pandey in his next.
Brathwaite was a pale shadow of what he delivered two years back at this venue in the World T20 final against England. On Sunday, he was left searching the ball before being trapped in front of the wickets by Yadav after managing four runs off 11balls.
Lucknow: India wins match by 71 run and series 4-1
Asheem Mukerji, ROHIT RINGS IN DIWALI, November 7, 2018: The Times of India
From: Asheem Mukerji, ROHIT RINGS IN DIWALI, November 7, 2018: The Times of India
Captain’s Blazing Ton Leads India To Easy Win Over Hapless Windies
Hit-man Rohit Sharma lit up the Ekana Stadium on Diwali eve with a cracking unbeaten 111 (61 balls, 8x4, 7x6) as India registered a whopping 71–run win to clinch the T20 series against West Indies on Tuesday.
The victory meant the home side went 2-0 up in the three-match series, having pocketed the opener in Kolkata on Sunday. The final game now comes up in Chennai on Sunday.
After the visitors asked India to bat first, Rohit regaled the huge crowd with some sweetly-timed pulls and drives to power the home side to 195 on a wicket that lacked bounce. In reply, the pressure of runs proved too much for the Caribbean side as they could only manage 124/9.
Making the most of a dropped chance early on by left-arm spinner Fabien Allen off his own bowling, the Indian captain kept the vocal chords of a boisterous crowd busy.
He and Shikhar Dhawan posted 123 runs for opening wicket to provide a perfect platform after West Indies started off promisingly with paceman Oshane Thomas bowling a maiden Dhawan got to a somewhat sedate 43 (41b, 4x3) before being caught by Nicholas Pooran off the bowling of Allen at long-leg, but there was no respite for the visitors thereafter as the Indians pressed on the gas pedal to dictate terms.
Rohit, in particular, was in sublime touch as he came up with his third century against West Indies on the tour. He got an undefeated 152 at Guwahati and 162 in Mumbai in the One-dayers.
This knock also had the stamp of his class, as the Mumbai batsman reached the three-figure mark by clubbing skipper Carlos Braithwaite for a six and a boundary in the final over of the innings. The knock also pushed Sharma past Virat Kohli as the highest T20 run-getter for India.
After Dhawn’s departure, Rishabh Pant too didn’t last long but KL Rahul provided Rohit the requisite support with a busy 26 not out off 14 balls.
In reply, the West Indian top-order again disappointed as left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed started the rout by sending back the openers – Shai Hope and the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer and then chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav nailed things by removing Darren Bravo and Nicholas Pooran in his first over.
And once Jasprit Bumrah had foxed Pollard with a slower one to have him caught and bowled, it was all over the bar shouting for the tourists.
Though Keemo Paul and Carlos Braithwaite got back at Kuldeep by hitting him for three sixes in his last over, it came too late in the match to have any effect.
Both the sides made a change each in their playing XI with India getting in Bhuvneshwar Kumar in place of Umesh Yadav, while Nicholas Pooran came in for Roveman Powell for the visitors.
Test matches
Rajkot test: India won by an innings, 272 runs
From: Gaurav Gupta, India Romp To Their Biggest Test Win As Windies Hit Rock Bottom In Rajkot, October 7, 2018: The Times of India
“I had expected a defeat, but not this badly. It’s disappointing. This wicket wasn’t that bad to bat on, but we got out twice on it in 98.5 overs. In the years gone by, that pitch would have turned after the first half an hour. This is it, we’ve hit rock bottom,” lamented former West Indies captain Carl Hooper moments after watching his team crash to a hugely embarrassing innings and 272-run defeat, within three days, at the SCA Stadium here.
Hooper was right. Even by their rapidly deteriorating standards, the reckless way in which the West Indies batted after following-on and conceding an ocean-sized lead of 468 runs in the first innings, left everyone surprised. It was the biggest Test win for India ever, while for the hapless West Indians, this was their second-worst defeat in Test cricket.
Playing as if they were auditioning for the IPL, the players from the Caribbeans were bowled out for 181 in the second innings, ‘slogged’ their way to 196 in the second, taking just 50.5 overs to fold up. For two consecutive Tests at home now, India have played and thrashed absolutely listless teams. In June, they blasted out debutants Afghanistan by an innings & 262 runs inside two days in Bangalore.
How such ridiculously one-sided contests will help attract crowds in Test cricket — a perennial problem with the five day format — is a question which needs to be taken seriously by the BCCI, the broadcaster, and everyone concerned with the game. Even as the visitors put up an apology of a show, India did manage to collect a few positives for themselves. Recovering from a forgettable outing against England in the Lord’s Test, where he went for 44 runs in nine overs without taking a wicket, chinaman Kuldeep bagged his maiden fivewicket haul in Test cricket — taking 5/57 in the second innings, something which may help him re-discover selfbelief in the longest format.
Mumbai’s young opener Prithvi Shaw, who cracked 134 on his Test debut, achieved a rare distinction of being named Man of the Match in his first game itself. Rishabh Pant dropped a couple of catches on Saturday, but his attacking 92 shows India have a potentially explosive batsman in Tests at No. 6.
Resuming at 94/6, the West Indies seemed to be improving on their shoddy show on Day Two, as Roston Chase (53; 79b, 8x4), and Keemo Paul (47; 49b, 7x4, 2x6) added 98 for the seven wicket. Both swept the spinners well before the partnership was broken by Umesh Yadav, who got Paul out hooking. It was a smart piece of captaincy from Virat Kohli, who moved Pujara to midwicket before Yadav hurled a short ball.
Soon after getting to his sixth Test fifty, Chase was dropped by Pant off Ashwin, but the bowler didn’t have to agonize much as he had his man in his next over. Chase went for a big drive, stretched his bat way beyond his body, and inside-edged a turning delivery from Ashwin on to his stumps. You felt for debutant Shermon Lweis when Ashwin unleashed a carrom ball which left the tailender completely bamboozled.
Pant dropped another catch, this time off Devendra Bishoo off Ravindra Jadeja, but bounced back with a good stumping of Shannon Gabriel, after Ashwin had flicked a carom ball. Ashwin finished with 4/37 in the first innings.
The sole bright spot for West Indies in the second innings was left-handed opener Kieron Powell, who chose attack as the best form of defence while smashing his way to 83 off 83 balls (8x4, 4x6) against a strong attack.
Hyderabad test: India won second Test by 10 wickets
From: JAC Gladson, Umesh Yadav’s 10-Wicket Haul Helps India Win 2nd Test By 10 Wickets To Register 10th Successive Series Win At Home, October 15, 2018: The Times of India
It’s a rare feat, an Indian fast bowler winning a Test match on Indian soil. Umesh Yadav’s 10 for 133 was stouthearted as it triggered another three-day rout of Windies, marked by a pathetic display of Test match batting.
In engineering a spectacular collapse that lasted a mere 46.1 overs and saw Windies roll over for 127 on Sunday, Umesh ensured a meagre target of 72 runs that India achieved to win the second Test by 10 wickets and the series 2-0 – their 10th straight series win at home since losing to England in 2012. Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul applied the finishing touches as the hosts ended up with 75 without loss.
All credit to Umesh for his brilliant charge that made him the third Indian quick to bag a 10-for on home soil after Kapil Dev did it twice and Javagal Srinath once. The 19,164 faithful who congregated at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium took home plenty of happy memories and none better than the three deliveries of Umesh that Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich and Shannon Gabriel dragged on to the stumps for returns of four for 45.
The Indian spearhead missed the hat-trick twice in the day. On the first occasion, the split hat-trick was averted by Kragg Brathwaite and the second time by Jason Holder with Chase in the mix both times. The Chase-Holder duo had revived the visitors’ first innings with their 104-run stand for the seventh wicket but there was to be no repeat act as Windies were staring down the barrel by then, thanks in the main to Umesh.
Working up tidy pace, the right arm quick posed questions for which the Windies batsmen had no answers. Rattled first up by a yorker that nearly cannoned into his stumps, Brathwaite succumbed to the very next delivery, glancing Umesh only to see Rishabh Pant come up with a fine catch.
Windies were 56 runs in the red and worse was in store as offie R Ashwin maintained the stranglehold with a beautiful first spell of 6-2-13-1 that accounted for Kieran Powell, smartly pouched by Ajinkya Rahane at slip. Runs were hard to come by – Windies got their first off the 17th delivery – and two soon became three and four as Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope fell in the space of four deliveries. Their only hope of surviving the day rested on Holder. The Windies captain was a picture of calm despite the carnage around him and in Sunil Ambris found an ally with a common task: delay the inevitable.
Ravindra Jadeja had other ideas, though. Ian Gould failed to spot a faint edge off Holder’s bat. But the review went in India’s favour. The hosts had reason for more joy soon after the 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Holder and Ambris was terminated, the latter too was trapped in front, a straightforward decision which the batsman reviewed unsuccessfully.
It was just a matter of time before the Windies folded up in less than two sessions after India were dismissed 15 minutes into the extended first session. India’s hopes of a big lead rested on their overnight pair of Rahane (80; 259min, 183b, 4x7) and Pant (92; 203min, 134b, 4x11, 6x2). But the former failed to keep down a Shannon Gabriel delivery that reared up from a length and the latter once again failed to complete his century. Despite Ashwin’s defiance for 119 minutes in scoring 35 and Shardul Thakur batting on one leg, India had to settle for 367 thanks to Holder’s five for 56, much less than they expected after starting the third day on 308 for four.
The lead of 56 runs proved adequate to pummel the Windies into submission. Ashwin (2/24), Jadeja (3/12) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/45) played their part too.
YEAR WISE DEVELOPMENTS
West Indies (away), 2023
Tests
A: India wins at Roseau
July 16, 2023: The Times of India
Roseau (Dominica): World’s top-ranked bowler R Ashwin was too good for an ill-equipped West Indies batting lineup as his second five-wicket haul of the game set up India’s innings and 141-run victory in the opening Test. After India declared their first innings at 421 for five midway into the afternoon session, an improved batting show was expected from the Caribbean batters but they were simply not up to the task and collapsed to 130 all out in 50 overs to ensure a three-day finish.
Ashwin followed his 33rd five-wicket haul in the first innings with envious figures of seven for 71 in 21. 3 overs, his best in an overseas Test. The result was a foregone conclusion after the West Indies were bundled out for 150 on the opening day. India’s big win was also set up by Yashasvi Jaiswal who made a sublime 171 on debut. Virat Kohli contributed with 76 off 182 but it was not among his fluent knocks as he had to work extremely hard for his runs and was even dropped twice along the way.
The second and final Test starts in Port of Spain, Trinidad, from July 20. India, who have not lost a Test to West Indies since 2002, will be expected to complete a clean sweep and pick up crucial points in the World Test Championship. The writing was on the wall when the West Indies were reduced to 32 for four in their second innings.
With the conditions resembling the slow and dry tracks of India, Rohit Sharma introduced spin as early as the fifth over. PTI
B: Port-of-Spain: draw; India wins series
July 25, 2023: The Times of India
Port-of-Spain: An Indian team in transition will feel robbed of an opportunity as torrential rain came in its way of potentially winning the second Test against West Indies and completing a 2-0 series whitewash. Eyeing a clean sweep after their victory inside three days in Dominica, India called the shots here too and set the hosts an imposing target of 365. But the match ended in a draw after the fifth and final day’s play was washed out. Having taken two wickets to leave the beleaguered West Indies trailing by 289 runs by the end of the fourth day’s play, the Indians would have certainly fancied their chances of emerging victorious and grabbing a full 24 points in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. But that was not to be, thanks to the heavy downpour as India concluded their Test campaign with no further gains.
Brief scores: West Indies 255 (Brathwaite 75, Siraj 5/60) and 76/2). India 438 and 181/2 decl. (Rohit 57, Kishan 52*, Gabriel 1-33).
ODIs
India wins Bridgetown ODI
July 28, 2023: The Times of India
Bridgetown: Skipper Rohit Sharma and senior pro Virat Kohli, who have 76 international hundreds between them, decided to give game time to middle-order batters as India beat West Indies by five wickets in the opening ODI, riding on exploits from spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
After Jadeja (3/37 in 6 overs) and Kuldeep (4/6 in 4 overs) set it up beautifully, shooting out the Windies for 114 in 23 overs, Ishan Kishan helped himself to a half-century (52 off 46 balls) in India’s successful chase in just 22. 5 overs.
With 12 ODI matches in hand to find the perfect combination and some pieces of the puzzle still to be fixed before the World Cup, Rahul Dravid and Rohit’s decision to give game time to middle-order batters was a welcome move. While it didn’t exactly go as per plan for Suryakumar Yadav (19), who played a non-existent sweep shot, and Hardik Pandya (5) freakishly run-out at the non-striker’s end, Kishan did his cause no harm with his fourth half-century. The chase was never a problem but the wicket did offer a lot of turn apart from bounce, which made life difficult for batters from both sides. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (2/26 in 6. 5 overs) did ask a few probing questions but the total didn’t allow him to challenge the Indians more.
For India, skipper Rohit came in as late as No. 7 and Kohli didn’t even come out to bat. The idea was simple. Neither Rohit nor Kohli would gain anything by getting another half-century against a team like West Indies, but giving a chance to check Kishan as the third/reserve opener or Suryakumar as one of the middle-order options, provided Shreyas Iyer fails to recover in time, would give them requisite confidence.
With chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar also present, these were some well thought-out moves as often the Indian top three have stacked runs. Also, when batting collapse happened in a knock-out game of a big tourney, the middle-order, with lack of game time, have struggled badly. In the end, Jadeja (16 not out) also got 20-odd balls to bat and Rohit hit the winning runs.
The ability to experiment with the batting lineup was laudable but one would expect that Rohit and Kohli will bat in their usual positions if India opt to make or is forced to make first use of the track in the next game. This series will be used for experiments and rightly so.
After putting West Indies to bat, Jadeja tightened the noose and Kuldeep went for the final kill in just 23 overs of bowling. Hardik Pandya (1/17 in 3 overs), starting with the new ball alongside debutant Mukesh Kumar (1/22 in 5 overs), set the tone with a tight first spell before Jadeja and Kuldeep finished the innings off in a jiffy.
Skipper Shai Hope’s 43 was the top score for the hosts as only two other batters were able to cross the double-digit mark. PTI
Barbados: Rainwashed
July 30, 2023: The Times of India
Barbados: Indian team management’s decision to rest skipper Rohit Sharma and premier batter Virat Kohli badly backfired as none of the World Cup hopefuls could cope with pace, bounce and turn against the West Indies, managing a dismal 180 in 40. 5 overs in the rain-hit second ODI here on Saturday. Losing five wickets for 23 runs in just 7. 2 overs after opening stand of 90 between Ishan Kishan (55 off 55 balls) and Shubman Gill (34 off 49 balls) became India’s undoing after the West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to bowl.
The loss of momentum hurt India dearly but more than that, the rationale behind Rohit and Kohli’s forced break with only 10 months left before the big event, didn’t make much sense. Not to forget that the failures left more questions than answers. There were two rain-delays but West Indies bowlers never let their intensity drop in an impressive display.
While Kishan consolidated his case for selectio n as second wicket-keeper (provided KL Rahul gets fit for World Cup) with a second successive half-century, the same couldn’t be said about Sanju Samson (9 off 19 balls) and Axar Patel (1 off 8 balls). Promoted at No. 3 and 4 to keep the left-right combination going, both players struggled not only against short-ball tactic employed by Jayden Seales (1/28 in 6 overs), Alzarri Joseph (2/35 from 7 overs) and Romario Shepherd (3/37 in 8 overs) but also the grip, turn and bounce that spinners Gudakesh Motie (3/36 in 9. 3 overs) and Yannic Cariah (1/25 in 5 overs) generated. Brief scores: India 181 in 40. 5 overs (I Kishan 55, S Gill 34, R Shepherd 3/37, G Motie 3/36) vs West Indies
T20Is
Tarouba: 1st, India loses
August 4, 2023: The Times of India
From: August 4, 2023: The Times of India
Tarouba : Tilak Varma looked very much at home on his international debut before India made a mess of a modest run-chase to lose the opening T20 International against the West Indies by four runs here on Thursday. Rovman Powell (48 off 32) played a captain’s knock to take West Indies to 149/6 after the hosts opted to bat at the Brian Lara Stadium. With 37 needed off the last 30 balls and six wickets in hand, India self-destructed to end at 145/9 in 20 overs.
Jason Holder brought the West Indies back into the game by producing a maiden in the 16th over, when he found the stumps of India skipper Hardik Pandya (19) before Sanju Samson (12) got run out. Tailender Arshdeep Singh (12) made the game more interesting with a couple of fours in the penultimate over, making use of an extra fielder in the circle due to the home team’s slow over rate. Eventually, Romario Shepherd was able to defend 10 runs off the final over. The sole bright spot of the chase was Varma’s fearless 39 off 22 balls on his maiden outing for India. The 20-year-old southpaw dispatched West Indies’ quickest bowler Alzarri Joseph for back to back sixes over deep square leg to announce his arrival in international cricket. His third and final six came off an aerial drive of pacer Shepherd.
It was not the easiest of pitches to bat on and most of the Indian batters found strokemaking tough. The opening duo of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill perished cheaply before Suryakumar Yadav (21) and Varma got together. Suryakumar came up with a spectacular cut short off Joseph that went all the way before the star Indian batter was caught brilliantly by Shimron Hetmyer at extra cover.
Earlier, Powell and the in-form Nicholas Pooran (41 off 34) took the hosts to a respectable total. Besides Varma, pacer Mukesh Kumar, who made his Test and ODI debut earlier on the tour, was also handed his maiden T20 cap. With the new ball not doing much in the Powerplay, the Indian pace duo of Mukesh and Arshdeep Singh was not able to put the West Indies top-order under pressure.
Hardik introduced spin in the fourth over and Brandon King (28 off 19) made his intentions clear with an inside out six over cover off Axar Patel. Yuzvendra Chahal (2/24) was brought into the attack in the following over and a struggling Kyle Myers (1) missed a slog sweep off the leggie’s googly only to be adjudged LBW. The replays showed the ball was missing the stumps but Myers chose not to review. PTI “We were right in the chase. We made some errors which cost us, but it is fine. A young team will make mistakes.
Throughout the game, we were in control. I have always believed that in T20 cricket, if you lose wickets, it becomes difficult to chase down a total.” -Hardik Pandya | INDIA CAPTAIN “It’s a very good feeling. We talked about starting the series on a positive note, and we did that today. After watching the Indians bowl, I was thinking if we were a spinner short. But the fast bowlers bowled into the wicket.” -Rovman Powell | WEST INDIES CAPTAIN
Guyana, 2nd T20I: India loses
August 7, 2023: The Times of India
Providence (Guyana) : Tilak Varma struck his first international half-century, but it was not enough to prevent India from slipping to a dramatic two-wicket defeat in the second T20I against West Indies in Guyana.
India struggled to 152-7 after winning the toss and batting first and, in spite of Nicholas Pooran’s 67, appeared to be heading for victory when West Indies lost four wickets for three runs to slip to 129-8.
However, tailenders Alzarri Joseph and Akeal Hosein kept their cool and slogged the winning runs to see the West Indies home with seven balls to spare. After winning Thursday’s opener in Tarouba by four runs, West Indies take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
The 20-year-old Varma, who helped light up the IPL with 343 runs for the Mumbai Indians this season, made 51 from 41 balls before clipping left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein to fine leg where Obed McCoy pouched the catch.
Varma came to the crease in the fourth over after Shubman Gill was caught at third man off Alzarri Joseph and Suryakumar Yadav, playing his 50th T20I, was run out by a direct hit from Kyle Mayers to leave India o n 18 for two. Varma added 42 for the third wicket with Ishan Kishan before the opener was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27.
Sanju Samson fell cheaply and after the dismissal of Varma, who hit five fours and one six in his 51, it was left to skipper Hardik Pandya with 24 from 18 balls to drag the Indians towards a half-decent target. AFP
Brief scores: India 152 for 7 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 51; Romario Shepherd 2/28, Akeal Hosein 2/29, Alzarri Joseph 2/28) lost to West Indies 155 for 8 in 18.5 overs (Nicholas Pooran 67; Hardik Pandya 3/35) by 2 wickets.
Providence, 3rd T20I: India wins
August 9, 2023: The Times of India
From: August 9, 2023: The Times of India
Providence (Guyana) : Suryakumar Yadav was back to his disdainful best as India stayed alive in the series with a seven-wicket win over the West Indies in the third T20I. After West Indies opted to bat, skipper Rovman Powell’s whirlwind 40 not out off 19 balls pushed the hosts to 159/5 after Kuldeep Yadav (3/28) stemmed the flow of runs in the middle overs. Debutant Yashavi Jaiswal (1) and Shubman Gill (6) got out cheaply in the run chase but Suryakumar came up with a special 83 off 44 balls to help India gun down the target in a me re 17.5 overs. Tilak Varma (49 not out off 37) was happy to play second fiddle to his senior Mumbai Indians teammate in their 87-run stand. Tilak missed his second straight fifty in the series as skipper Hardik Pandya (20* off 15) hit the winning six.
West Indies now lead the five match series 2-1 with the next game to played in Lauderhill, Florida.
Suryakumar, who had a quiet tour up till now, flicked his first ball for a boundary. It is almost impossible to stop Suryakumar when he is finding the gaps at will and that is what the West Indies bowlers had to endure.
His innings comprised 10 fours and four sixes, with the highlight being the picture perfect straight hit over pacer Obed McCoy’s head.
After Suryakumar’s dismissal in the 13th over, skipper Hardik and Tilak did the needful. The southpaw, who began his innings with back-to-back fours, once again showed he is here to stay.
Earlier, Kuldeep got rid of the dangerous Nicholas Pooran (20 off 12) and a well-set Brandon King (42 off 42) in the 15th over to wrest mo mentum from the West Indies.
In an unusual occurrence, the start of the game was slightly delayed as the 30-yard circle was not marked. After opting to bat, the West Indies enjoyed their best start of the series with King and Kyle Mayers (25 off 20) sharing a 55-run stand. The surface was on the slower side, prompting Hardik to introduce spin as early as in the third over via Axar Patel, who conceded a couple of boundaries.
Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal, who usually doesn’t bowl in the first six overs, was given that task on Tuesday. But Mayers put Chahal under pressure straight away by sweeping him for a six.
The third spinner, Kuldeep, initially went for runs but came back as he beat a charging Nicholas Pooran to have him stumped. PTI
Lauderhill, 4th T20I: India wins match
August 13, 2023: The Times of India
From: August 13, 2023: The Times of India
Lauderhill (US) : Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal gave a glittering manifestation of their talent as India humbled West Indies by nine wickets in the fourth T20 International. India hunted down 179 with full three overs to spare, and the victory helped them to level the five-match series 2-2.
Coming into this match, India needed some runs from their openers and the two young men did precisely that, with Gill (77 off 47 balls) and Jaiswal (84 not out off 51 balls) slipping into overdrive from ball one and seldom downshifting thereafter. They put on 165 runs together.
There were apprehensions of the pitch getting slowed down in the second half of the match, as it often happened in the past. But the centre square that was recently refurbished using the Mississippi soil stayed true for the whole course of the match. Gill and Jaiswal used the wicket’s friendly nature to the hilt as 66 runs cascaded in the Powerplay. The eight fours and three sixes they smoked during that phase underscored their complete dominance.
Incidentally, all three sixes took birth off Gill’s punishing bat. Gill was the first to stroll past the fifty-run mark, cutting Rovman Powell past the point fielder for a couple. Jaiswal soon joined his partner on that landmark point, and it was achieved in an even more eye-popping fashion. Powell tried to go wide of offstump but the left-hander moved across and thumped the ball through wide square leg for a boundary, and celebrated his maiden T20I fifty with unmasked glee.
Perhaps, it was the first chapter in passing of the baton to the younger crop as far as the shortest format is concerned.
Earlier, an outstanding effort by bowlers helped India pin down West Indies to a total that was underwhelming considering a pitch that offered true bounce and little turn. West Indies’ decision to bat first was understandable as teams batting first often enjoyed a distinct advantage here, largely because of a pitch that tends to slow down.
However, the home batsmen, save Shimron Hetmyer (61) and Shai Hope (45), failed to capitalise on an excellent chance to put on board a bigger total. In fact, the hosts did not manage even a single fifty stand in their innings.
The West Indies essay revolved around two partnerships — a 49-run stand for the fifth wicket between Hope and Hetmyer and then a 47-run stand for the eighth wicket between Hetmyer and Odean Smith. Arshdeep Singh (3/38) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/26) kept the Windies batting unit on a tight leash.
Lauderhill: 5th T20i, West Indies defeats India wins series
August 14, 2023: The Times of India
From: August 14, 2023: The Times of India
Lauderhill (US) : West Indies defeated India by eight wickets in the series-deciding fifth and final T20 International to win the series 3-2. Suryakumar Yadav made a 45-ball 61 to guide the Indians to 165 for nine against the West Indies in after opting to bat. Tilak Varma made 27 off 18 balls after India opted to bat first. For West Indies, Romario Shepherd (4/31) was the pick of the bowlers.
Chasing,West Indies rode on Brandon King’s unbeaten 85 and Nicholas Pooran’s 47 to romp home comfortably in 18 overs. Varma picked up one wicket for India giving away 17 runs. Earlier, the Indian batters fluffed their lines when it mattered most as a determined West Indies handed captain Hardik Pandya his first bilateral series defeat beating the visitors by eight wickets.
Within 24 hours of producing a batting masterclass on a featherbed, the Indian batters, save Yadav’s scratchy yet effective 61 off 45 balls, posted a sub-par score of 165 for 9 after opting to bat on a used track that had become slower. On a pitch where stroke-making wasn’t an easy proposition, Surya had to curb his flair a bit but still had enough firepower in his arsenal to hit four fours and three sixes during his knock.
On same track where the Caribbean bowlers put Indian batters under tight leash, the bowl ing attack looked horribly out of depth barring Kuldeep Yadav (0/18), who delivered yet another steady performance.
Pooran and King cleverly decided to play out Kuldeep’s spell and attacked others with disdain.Once the West Indies got 60 in the powerplay, there was no looking back as they maintained the tempo with most of the Indian bowlers pitching it short giving Pooran ample time to tonk them in the arc between the long-on and cow corner.
However it was the batting that became India’s undoing as they never got the desired mo mentum during the middle as well as end overs. Even Surya was a bit subdued by his own lofty standards because the slowness didn’t allow him to play his natural game.
It was a used track where the ball started gripping from the very first over bowled by leftarm spinner Akeal Hosein (2/24 in 4 overs), who made an impact against the Indian batters throughout the series.
Between him and off-spinner Roston Chase (1/25 in 4 overs), they bowled eight overs for just 49 runs taking three wickets in the process. Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) started with a reverse sweep but Hosein’s delivery that stopped and turned with a tad extra bounce forced the batter to offer a simple return catch. Shubman Gill (9) was unlucky as he would have survived had he taken a review with TV replays showing that Hosein’s arm ball was drifting down the leg-side.
Tilak Varma (27 off 18 balls) was at his fluent best taking 19 off the final powerplay over bowled by Alzarri Joseph. But he also fell prey to the slowness of the track offering Chase a return catch. PTI
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