New Delhi: A Brilliant hundred from Ajinkya Rahane and stylish half centuries by Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan guided India to a solid 310 for 5 in the second ODI at the Queens Park Oval, Port of Spain.
Sent in to bat after a delayed start, Indian openers started where they had left in the first ODI. Dhawan and Rahane struck their 5th hundred run partnership and sixth successive 50 plus stand to pile on the misery of the hapless West Indian attack in a 43-over match.
Playing as a make shift opener in place of a rested Rohit Sharma, Rahane made sure he made full use of this opportunity. He showed urgency right from the onset to nullify the Caribbean quicks and help India take early ascendancy.
Dhawan soon joined in and overtook Rahane to reach a stroke filled half-century. He perished on a beautifully tossed up delivery by Ashley Nurse for 63.
But Rahane at the other end had just shifted gears. He took the pressure off from an incoming Virat Kohli and launched an attack on Devendra Bishoo. He swept him from outside off, drove him past cover and smashed him behind point to canter to his third ODI hundred.
His strike rate of 99.03 was a standout in his innings of redemption.
Rahane however, perished immediately after reaching the milestone. But by then Kohli had got his eyes in and was ready to give the Indian innings a lofty finish.
The Indian captain showed why he is regarded as one of the bests as he effortlessly cleared the ropes four times. He fell short off a well deserved hundred as he miscued one and was out caught at long on for 87 off just 66 balls.
Some sloppy bowling from West Indies towards the end pushed the Indian total over 300.