Kochi ODI: Royal whipping

Trust India to make a habit of this. When all seems lost, they bounce back in style. And that’s what they did against the Brits on Tuesday. They registered a comprehensive win over England at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Stadium to draw level in the five-match ODI series.
Ravindra Jadeja deserves a special mention; he finally lived up to the all-rounder’s tag. He shone with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 61, and then followed it up with a spell of 2/12 in seven overs. Doesn’t end there; he fashioned a run-out too.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets apiece as India dismissed England for 158 in 36 overs — yes, that early — to win by an emphatic 127 runs.

India struck early, with Shami Ahmed prising out Ian Bell with one that the opener should have left alone. Alastair Cook (17), as always, looked sound until Kumar trapped him in front.

Kevin Pietersen commanded the loose deliveries to the fence. But his innings ended rather abruptly. Kumar got one to jag back, breaching KP’s defence. In the same over, he sent back Eoin Morgan as England  lost their way.

Earlier, MS Dhoni (72), Suresh Raina (55) and Jadeja (61 not out) propelled India to 285 from 18/2. As it has happened so often in recent times, India’s openers Ajinkya Rahane (4) and Gautam Gambhir got out cheaply, bringing the middle-order early into play.

Virat Kohli was cautious, while Yuvraj Singh treated the England quicks with disdain. The latter was declared leg-before to James Tredwell, going for a sweep. Replays clearly indicated that the ball hit the gloves first. Soon, Kohli followed Yuvraj as India were reduced to 119/4.

Raina and Dhoni salvaged the innings with a 55-run stand. Raina, who arrived in the 16th over, looked set for a big one. But the Uttar Pradesh batsman was bowled by Steven Finn’s off-cutter for 55 while attempting a heave to the on-side.

Dhoni, in supreme form these days, started off cautiously before unleashing his strokes. The helicopter shot was on view again. The skipper shared a 96-run stand with Jadeja for the sixth wicket as the home team upped the run-rate. India collected 82 runs in the last 36 balls, including 20 in the final over. The batting, although more evidence is required, seems to have found an extra gear. Has the team too?