Virat Kohli impressed with Jadhav-Pandya show

Kolkata: The rise of Kedar Jadhav and good showing by Hardik Pandya in the series against England was a great "demo" for the Indian team ahead of Champions Trophy, gushed captain Virat Kohli.

Jadhav could not steer the side to win in the third ODI tonight but was adjudged the man-of-the-series for his 232 runs in the series. Along with Pandya he raised a 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket but India fell short by 5 runs chasing 322.

"Definitely, it has been a series of positives even today, 173 for 5, two youngsters step up almost get us through the line, fighting back against good quality fast bowlers. It was a great demo for the Champions Trophy," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

The young Indian captain said it was a good omen for India that youngsters were taking responsibility to finish the game while playing down the order.

"Jadhav is brilliant find for us. We've backed him over the last year, he hasn't had many games, but he is coming into his own, he gives Yuvi and Dhoni the chance to bat higher and he reads the game well, it's priceless and Hardik is coming into his own as all-rounder as well," Kohli said.

"The moment I saw the pitch I thought it was the perfect scenario for the Champions Trophy. The batsman had to show character and getting as close as five runs gives us a lot of confidence."

Asked to point out which area India need to focus ahead of Champions Trophy in UK in June, Kohli said the fast bowlers need to learn hitting the right line and length.

"The key for us will be the lengths we bowl. We've been playing at home for a while. Even here we weren't sure. That's one area we would look to address, what are the areas we need to hit to get batsmen out."

England captain Eoin Morgan was a relieved, finally having a win under his belt.

"It's been hard work in a very competitive series. Today we were rewarded for our persistent drive to win. The pitch was similar to an English wicket and when you lose the toss, you have to do it the hard way and the dew was very tough to deal with. Jason Roy and Sam Billings did well at the top of the order for us. The bowlers make the captain look good," Morgan said.

Kohli, for whom this was the first loss as ODI captain, brought up his 39th ODI fifty in 54 balls while Yuvraj also looked in full flow as they crossed 100-mark in 19th over.

But in the next over, Stokes stunned the crowd removing the skipper who offered a loose flash shot off the blade to an away going delivery and England had their prized wicket.

Dhoni walked into a rousing welcome and Yuvraj, at the other hand, looked uninhibited, hammering Moeen Ali for a six to come close to what would have been his 52nd fifty. But soon, Yuvraj was dismissed by Plunkett, holing out to Billings with a mistime flick at deep midwicket.

Earlier, Stokes hammered the Indian attack in the final overs as his unbeaten 39-ball-57 had four boundaries and two sixes. The last seven overs produced 75 runs as England jumped from 246 for 6 to 321 for 8 after being asked to bat first.

With Stokes on fire, Jasprit Bumrah's horrifying series continued despite a decent first-spell of 4-1-17-0. His final figures read 10-1-68-1. This is after 2/79 (10 overs) and 2/81 (9 overs) in the previous two games.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya was the pick of the Indian bowler with figures of 10-1-49-3 and along with Ravindra Jadeja (2/62) triggered England's slide after a brilliant opening partnership of 98 between in-form Jason Roy (65) and Sam Billings (35).

Roy struck 10 boundaries and a six in what was his third fifty in a row. One drop Jonny Bairstow scored 56 from 64 balls (5x4, 1x6) and skipper Eoin Morgan slammed a quickfire 43 from 44 balls (2x4, 3x6) but the 'Men In Blue' were a shade better as the final total will suggest.

Following the promising first hour for the visitors, India finally got the much-awaited breakthrough two balls after drinks break when Jadeja dismissed Billings (35) and in the very next over he claimed Roy for a third time on trot.

But the England skipper, fresh from an attacking century in Cuttack, kept them going before gifting his wicket flicking a terrible ball to short fine leg, which could have been easily walloped for a boundary.

The opener's unconvincing stay ended when he reverse swept Jadeja and looped straight to Bumrah.

English opener Roy notched his third fifty in a row as he along with Sam Billings did well to negotiate the first hour on a moving Eden Gardens track to put up a solid foundation.

The seamers did well to trouble the openers but failed to give any breakthrough as it was England's session, giving them a clear chance to reach 350-plus.

Roy brought up the fifty with a six over long on against Jadeja but only to become his bunny. Roy once again failed to convert his start. It was a chance to convert his start. He was done in again after a half-century. Jadeja's delivery skipped on and bowled him.