Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav proved his mettle last year itself when he claimed a hat-trick against Australia at the Eden Gardens. Since then, he never looked back and got better with every game he played for India.
Ahead of this tour, the Englishmen might have prepared for every challenge ready to fall on their way. However, Kuldeep’s wizardry turned out to be a question which was not in their syllabus at all.
Setting up a world record in the T20I opener was just the trailer as Kuldeep showed the entire film in the first ODI. Rattling down the England top batting order, the 23-year-old left-arm wrist spiner picked up six wickets and became the first-ever bowler of his kind to pick up a five-for in an ODI.
Let’s have a look at those six scalps which added another feather in Kuldeep’s cap
Wicket No. 1: Jason Roy 38 (35) – c Umesh b Kuldeep Yadav
Wicket No. 2: Joe Root 3 (6) – lbw b Kuldeep Yadav
Wicket No. 3: Jonny Bairstow 38 (35) – lbw b Kuldeep Yadav
Wicket No. 4: Jos Buttler 53 (51) – c Dhoni b Kuldeep Yadav
Wicket No. 5: Ben Stokes 50 (103) – c S Kaul b Kuldeep Yadav
Wicket No. 6: David Willey 1 (4) – c Rahul b Kuldeep Yadav
So, this is how the World No. 1 ODI squad found themselves at the receiving despite beginning the inning phenomenally.
England set a target of 268 runs which was chased by the men-in-blue in 40.1 overs with 7 wickets in hand.