INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Showing some glances of form with a gritty unbeaten 64, KL Rahul anchored India to a hard-earned four-wicket win over Sri Lanka
in the 2nd ODI at the Eden Garden is Kolkata on Thursday
The win gave India an unassailable 2-0 series lead going into the Thiruvananthapuram ODI on Sunday.Under-fire Rahul, whose type and location
in the XI has actually been in question for a while, batted with guts and discipline as he forged a vital 75-run partnership for the 5th
wicket with Hardik Pandya (36) after the top-order crumbled in the modest 216 chase.With top-four batters opted for just 86 runs in 14.2
overs, the Rahul-Hardik collaboration pulled India out of the distressed waters
Taking on the obligation which has actually been anticipated from him, Rahul batted till the very end to take India home in the 44th
over.Snubbed time and once again by Indian think-tank, Kuldeep Yadav proved his nerve yet another time as he formed a beautiful bowling
alliance with pacer Mohammed Siraj to destroy Sri Lanka for 215 inside 40 overs after they chose to bat.The 216 target at first looked a
cakewalk but that didt ended up being the case
Rahuls gutsy knock made sure that the chase never ever went out of Indias hands.Needing 130 from 214 balls, Rahul was the only designated
batter left as he as soon as again proved his utility in the middle overs with an unbeaten 64 off 103 balls that took India home with 40
balls to spare.While there was a bit of joint motion on offer and ball from spinners gripping a bit, to be reasonable, there was no
scoreboard pressure on the house team
I will not say it was a flat wicket, or it was doing a lot that it was impossible to bat
When Sri Lanka started, I thought it was a 280-300 wicket, Rahul stated after the match.Having began with a boundary, Rahul was quick to
decrease as he ran hard for his singles en route to a 93-ball fifty.The requirement of the hour was to play smartly as Rahul and Hardik
Pandya suppressed their natural strokeplay in a decisive 75-run partnership that came off 119 balls.It was likewise a different Pandya (36;
53b) on display as he took some time and offered Rahul a best support
Pandya nevertheless departed against the run of play, leaving 55 runs needed from 95 balls.India earlier endured some tense moments inside
the powerplay when Rohit Sharma (17) and Shubman Gill (21) left in 4 shipments after an attacking start, while Virat Kohli (4) ended up
being the 3rd casualty to be 63/2 in 9.3 overs.Rohit took a faint edge behind the stumps to be dismissed by Karunaratne
In the next over Shubman Gill, who wowed the packed Eden crowd with his delightful cover drives, had a soft termination providing a straight
catch to Avishka Fernando at brief midwicket off Lahiru Kumara.The pacer, who changed an injured Dilshan Madushanka (dislocated shoulder),
was all charged up when he tidied up the last match centurion Kohli with a delivery that jagged back in.More stress and anxiety was in shop
as India were reduced to 86/4 in 14.2 overs when Shreyas Iyer was dismissed leg previously by a ball decreasing the leg.However, Rahul,
relishing his role as a No
5 was never in tearing hurry as he anchored the chase to perfection
He needed one good stand and in vice-captain Hardik Pandya (36) he got an able ally as they set up 75 runs
The advantage about batting at No
5 is you do not have to rush
You can shower, put your feet up and see the game
However I always believe what team needs of me
If you can read the scenario when you enter, it helps you and group
5 has actually helped me understand my game much better, Rahul said.Kuldeep shines throughTreated as non reusable time and once again by
the present Indian team management, Kuldeep Yadav when again showed his abilities with the ball and needed peace with the bat in his two
borders towards end of the chase.The left-arm wrist spinner, who was inexplicably excluded after a five-wicket haul in his comeback Test
against Bangladesh in Chattogram last month, got a surprise call-up after leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal pulled out with a aching right
Kuldeep (3/51) responded to the call grabbing 3 wickets in his very first 5 overs, in a spell that triggered Sri Lankan collapse from being
102/1 just when it seemed that debutant Nuwanidu Fernando (50 from 63 balls) and Kusal Mendis (34 from 34 balls)had begun to frustrate
Indian bowlers post Powerplay with a swift counter-attack
As Kuldeep ran through the Sri Lankan middle-order that included the prized-scalp of competing skipper Dasun Shanaka (2 ), the visitors went
on to lose five wickets in the space of 43 balls to essentially lose the plot after they decided to bat on a flat deck.But some late
fireworks by Dunith Wellalage (32) and Wanindu Hasaranga (21 )took the team previous 200-run mark before Siraj (5.4-0-30-3) polished off the
tail.Young Umran Malik likewise returned with figures of 2/48 from his 7 overs.Replacing in-form opener Pathum Nissanka (stiff back),
youngster Nuwanindu Fernando looked strong and hit a remarkable half-century on launching in a 73-run partnership with Kusal Mendis (34 )
The Indian brand-new ball bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj swung both methods and got some early movement.(With inputs from PTI)
