England entangled in Kuldeep Yadav web and other takeaways as India storm to eight-wicket win in first ODI

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  • Kuldeep Yadav bamboozled England once again with his wrist-spin.

    India thumped England by a eight-wicket margin in the first of the three ODIs at Trent Bridge on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

    The visitors were simply too good for the hosts after skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bowl first. Eoin Morgan‘s men were bowled out for just 268 runs and could only watch in amazement as India romped home to victory with more than nine overs to spare in the end.

    After India took the early ascendancy in the three-match series, we look at the key talking points from the Trent Bridge clash.

    KULDEEP SPINS A WEB AROUND ENGLAND’S BATSMEN

    England’s openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow gave the hosts a characteristic flying start at Trent Bridge but they soon ran into a wall named Kuldeep Yadav as their familiar failings against spin reared its ugly head.

    The young left-armed leg spinner struck with his very second delivery to break the 73-run opening stand as Roy became his first victim. In his next over, Kuldeep bamboozled Joe Root once again by trapping him on the pads before removing Bairstow in similar fashion in the same over.

    Skipper Virat Kohli opted to take Kuldeep out of the attack after his initial spell of destruction and when he returned, he created more havoc for the hosts. The 23-year-old dismissed half-centurions Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler before removing Adil Rashid to complete a six-wicket haul.

    The wrist-spinner astonishingly did not concede a single boundary in his 10 overs on a ground where England posted 481 and 444 in their last two appearances. His career-best figures of 6-25 are the first time a left-arm wrist-spinner has claimed six wickets in ODI history.

    Kuldeep take the applause after his six-wicket haul.

    Kuldeep take the applause after his six-wicket haul.

    BEN STOKES AND JOS BUTTLER FIGHT BACK WITH CONTRASTING INNINGS

    After Kuldeep’s initial burst had reduced England to 105-4 from 73-0, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler came together to provide some degree of stability to England’s innings. Both the batsmen went about their business in contrasting fashions as Buttler played with customary attacking intent while Stokes uncharacteristically dug in with a dogged innings.

    Buttler continued his good form as he struck another half-century in quick-time before falling to Kuldeep for a 51-ball 53. Stokes, on the other hand, curbed his attacking instincts as he dug in for the long haul. He brought up his 12th ODI century in a staggering 102 deliveries, his slowest one till date. He too, fell immediately after to Kuldeep’s wrist-spin but his 103-ball innings was the first time the star all-rounder had faced more than 100 balls in an ODI without scoring a century.

    Their methods might have been polar opposites of the other but Buttler and Stokes played a big part in ensuring England did not collapse completely after Kuldeep’s initial mayhem.

    Stokes played an uncharacteristic innings.

    Stokes played an uncharacteristic innings.

    ROHIT SHARMA SLAMS BACK TO BACK TONS

    If England had any hopes of making India sweat in their chase of a modest 269, they were quickly dashed with Rohit Sharma continuing from where he left off at Bristol in the final T20.

    The India opener took a backseat at the start as Shikhar Dhawan played an entertaining cameo but quickly assumed control once his opening partner departed. The India vice-captain looked as fluent as he did in Bristol as he made full use of the batting paradise that is Trent Bridge.

    The right-hander forged a 167-run stand in no time for the second wicket along with skipper Virat Kohli as the visitors made a mockery of England’s total. He reached the three-figure mark with a six off Adil Rashid as he notched up his 18th ODI ton and his first against England in the format.

    After smashing 15 boundaries and four sixes in his 114-ball knock, Rohit remained unbeaten on 138 to guide India to a thumping victory at Trent Bridge.

    Rohit is congratulated by Kohli after getting to his hundred.

    Rohit is congratulated by Kohli after getting to his hundred.

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