Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant hit fifties as India ended up with a good score on a sluggish surface against the West Indies in Ahmedabad.
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Shreyas Iyer had missed the first two matches of the series against West Indies as he was down with coronavirus. India missed his solidity in the middle order in both games. However, when he returned, he rescued India from a precarious position. Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma had all departed even before they had reached 20. However, Shreyas Iyer was joined by Rishabh Pant and both shared a partnership of 110. Iyer and Pant’s fifties, combined with Deepak Chahar’s cameo ensured India reached 265 in the third ODI against West Indies in Ahmedabad.
India chose to bat and they made four changes. KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Hooda, and Shardul Thakur were all rested as Rohit Sharma looked to experiment. Nicholas Pooran included Hayden Walsh Jr in place of Akeal Hosein. But, India did not get off to a great start with the top three all failing.
West Indies already used a poor review against Rohit Sharma in the very first over as the ball was clearly missing leg stump. Rohit made them pay with two boundaries off Alzarri Joseph. India had already made a good start but Alzarri Joseph turned the game in the next over. He dismissed Rohit Sharma for 13 with a delivery that nipped back in. But, he got the big fish of Virat Kohli when the former skipper was strangled down the leg side for a two-ball duck.
Read – Virat Kohli Suffers Embarrassment in Ahmedabad ODI against West Indies
For Virat Kohli, this was the first time since 2012 that he had a series in which he averaged less than 10. When Shikhar Dhawan got going with a six, it felt like normalcy was restored. But, when Odean Smith got him for 10, India’s Big Three had failed to cross 20 for the first time since the South Africa series in 2013. In the past, the failure of the big three would have put immense pressure on the middle order. But, Iyer and Pant stepped up in a big way.
Iyer survived a run-out chance initially but both players held on. They carefully built a partnership and negotiated the tricky period. West Indies continued to leak extras which released the pressure. Iyer grew in confidence with two boundaries off Odean Smith. Pant signaled his intentions by depositing Fabian Allen for a six over deep midwicket.
The partnership went past fifty with both batsmen finding the boundary at will. Iyer notched up his ninth fifty and Pant hit his fifth fifty as the partnership crossed 100. But, just as the stand looked dangerous, Pant edged Hayden Walsh for 51 much to the Indian keeper’s frustration. The wicket gave new hope to West Indies. Fabian Allen dismissed Suryakumar Yadav cheaply.
Iyer looked good for a century but on 80, he mistimed the lofted shot and fell to Hayden Walsh. Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar took India past 200, with Chahar in particular in good form. He hit two fours and a six off Hayden Walsh. But, just like the other Indian batsmen who failed to convert a good start, he was dismissed by Jason Holder for 38. India went past 250 but Jason Holder took two wickets in the final over to finish with 4/34. India has ended up on 265 and it will take a great effort from the Windies batters to chase the total down.
