India’s star batter Virat Kohli batted down the order in the first ODI against West Indies on Thursday after the management decision. India got an easy target of 115 runs to chase where Ishan Kishan opened the batting with Shubman Gill while skipper Rohit Sharma came in at no 7. Kohli did not get a chance to bat as India won the game by five wickets yet he ended up hogging all the limelight.
Virat was spotted talking to West Indies skipper Shai Hope post the match. A video of the same went viral where the former India skipper was seen sharing some tips with the wicketkeeper-batter. The Delhi-based batter often shares his valuable advice with the young guns, be it from India or some other team.
Talking about the first ODI, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja unleashed fire with the ball and destroyed the Windies’ batting order. The chinaman bowler (4/6) and Jadeja (3/37) shared seven wickets as West Indies were restricted to just 114 in 23 overs. In reply, India chased down a total after a few hiccups with Ishan Kishan scoring a half-century (52 off 46), helping India take a 1-0 lead in the series.
For West Indies, it was their skipper Shai Hope who starred with the bat after scoring 43 but then it was enough for the team. Other matters like Brandon King (17), Alick Athanaze (22), and Shimron Hetmyer (11) also managed to score in double figures.
"I've been working on my rhythm over the last two years. My rhythm wasn't very well last year but now it's coming out very well," said Kuldeep, who was named man of the match.
"With the spin and drift it's very difficult for the batters to read, especially now with an increase in pace."
The second ODI of the high-octane series will be played on Saturday (July 29) where the Indian team will look to continue their winning run after registering an emphatic win in the tournament opener.