As was the case four years ago, England’s visit to India ended with series losses in all three formats, but only after a thrilling third one-day international in sweltering Pune, in which tourists fell horribly short. in your search for 330.
Virat Kohli’s wild air blow at the end of his team’s seven-run victory summed up just how tense things had gotten in the middle as England rose off the canvas with 168 of six in the 26th time through. of a remarkable undefeated. 95 by Sam Curran that exceeded all expectations.
Coming to No. 8, and losing Moeen Ali shortly after to slide to 200-for-seven, Curran found final allies in Adil Rashid and Mark Wood to take the proceedings to the final, from left arm T Natarajan. It only took 14 six-part races to end three grueling months on the subcontinent with an all-powerful heist.
It was not, however, Curran’s slip when he rolled over for a second run of the first ball, leading Wood to run out of 14 and once again on strike after a single by Reece Topley. The off-roader couldn’t find the limits it craved when England finished 322 out of nine in response to India’s 329.
“The bottom line was we didn’t win the game,” said Curran, who fell five runs out of his first century in senior professional cricket. “I am happy with how I played, but I love winning. I got instructions from the dugout to take it as deep as possible, but fair play for Natarajan, he got his six deliveries right at the end. “
It was a crazy ending to the tour and a relief for Hardik Pandya, whose laser pitch eliminated Wood. The off-roader had previously sizzled with 64 of 44 balls, but after dropping Curran deep in 22, he no doubt felt nervous during the southpaw’s cold 83-ball tackles that contradicted the sweltering heat with nine fours and three sixes.
Up to this point, Bhuvneshwar Kumar had been Kohli’s trump card, as India made regular holes in England’s lineup, knocking out Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow in the first three overs and shutting down Moeen by 29.
With the boisterous Shardul Thakur tearing down the middle order en route to figures of four for 67, Kohli hitting the last of these with an excellent one-handed catch to discard Rashid, India nearly continued the dominance observed during England’s spells in the bubbles of Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune.
When asked to hit first one more time, the pitch was against Kohli for the tenth time during England’s visit, India was tougher than before in the series, only to be eliminated in 48.2 overs. Jos Buttler, once again substituting for the injured Eoin Morgan, deployed seven bowlers and all seven hit, with Wood taking three even though he visibly battled the disease of 38 ° C temperatures.
Rashid was the most expensive, but his elimination of the two starters after a 103-run stoppage (Rohit Sharma threw 37 for a sumptuous googly and Shikhar Dhawan caught a return at 67) outweighed the damage suffered from the leg twist.
These punches were followed by Moeen becoming the first spinner to throw Kohli twice in international cricket: the Indian captain attempted to hit one that slammed into the stump of his leg at the seven, and then he sustained a flying catch in front. KL Rahul in a short shot and fine hand leg. Liam Livingstone, his first international wicket, through a full range throw.
From 154 for four, Rishabh Pant returned to star in 78 with 62 rubber balls in a fifth inning of 99 with Hardik. But when Wood finished the lower order and Topley took Kumar’s final window, England was chasing the pair.
Kumar has been a threat on the cue ball leg of the tour, however, and although Roy was in the middle of the first two deliveries of the four-chase, the right arm lit his sixth bail ball with an inswinger and turned off. to Bairstow lbw in his next. Stump-moving Pant deserved some credit here too.
From then on, England’s entries were stagnant at key moments. Stokes failed to capitalize on an unfortunate knockdown from Hardik at 15, punching a full pitch from Natarajan to deep midwicket after adding 20 more, while Buttler’s streak of low scores in ODI cricket continued when Kohli successfully revised an lbw shout in fifteen.
The Spin: sign up and receive our weekly cricket email
Dawid Malan played a smart hand on a 50 run-a-ball, while Livingstone briefly flashed for 36. But with Thakur eliminating both men, and Moeen then magnificently held by Hardik midway, all hope seemed lost. Take a step forward Curran, whose positions of 57 at No. 9 and No. 10 brought this game to its frenzy.
India almost completely lost their temper here, with Curran and Wood falling in 49th. But in the final decisive moments, Natarajan and Pandya clinched a 2-1 series victory that followed victories in the Trials and the Twenty20s.
