BAN vs IND 2022-23, 3rd ODI: Kishan's fastest 200 enough to hand India pride; Twitter satisfied

Young wicketkeeper-opener Ishan Kishan was the epitome of insane power-hitting. His record-breaking fastest double hundred provided a healing touch in India's crushing 227-run consolation victory over Bangladesh in the inconsequential third One-Day International (ODI) at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong/Chattogram on Saturday. Despite the record margin of victory -- most significant by any team against Bangladesh, the 1-2 series defeat will certainly rankle the Indian squad as both matches slipped away from its grasp after being in pole position. Virat Kohli (113) struck his 44th ODI hundred. The century came Kohli's way after nearly 40 months of the barren spell.

Still, it was quickly overshadowed by Kishan's blitzkrieg as his 210 off 131 balls formed the cornerstone of India's mammoth total of 409/8 after back-to-back inept batting performances. His innings had 24 boundaries and ten sixes, and his double hundred came off only 126 balls. The total was always going to be insurmountable, and Bangladesh was never in contention as they were bowled out for 182 in 34 overs, with all the Indian bowlers being amongst wickets.

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Axar Patel (2/22), Shardul Thakur (3/30), Umran Malik (2/43), Mohammed Siraj (1/27) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/53) never really allowed the home team batters to dominate as they shared the spoils among themselves. Kishan's blistering innings and the intent he showed while catching the Bangladesh attack by the scruff of its neck would put the team management under pressure to take some tough calls as it moves into the ICC World Cup year.

Such was Kishan's domination that skipper-cum-opener Rohit Sharma's world record ODI score of 264 was in danger of being history. "I got out with 15 (14.1) overs left. I could have got 300 also," Kishan told official broadcasters during the innings break. Besides Rohit's three double tons, the two other Indian batters to achieve the feat are maestro Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

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"I am blessed to hear my name between such legends. The wicket was too good to bat on. My intent was obvious -- if the ball is there, I'll go for it," he revealed about his strategy. Having completed his maiden ODI century in 85 balls, Kishan batted in Twenty20 (T20) mode as records kept tumbling. That 156 of his runs came in sixes and boundaries tells a lot about the relentless assault he unleashed on the Bangladeshi bowlers.

The short balls were pulled, the length balls were driven, and the ones with width were cut fiercely. The Windies' Chris Gayle held the previous record with his 138-ball double ton against Zimbabwe in 2015. After touching the three-figure mark, Kishan raced to the subsequent 100 runs in just 41 balls.

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Kohli was also at his sublime best en route to his 72nd international century as the duo bossed the innings with a 290-run partnership off just 190 balls. "I was batting with Virat bhai, and he was spot on with which bowlers I needed to select [to target]. I was on 95 and wanted to bring up the hundred with a six, but he calmed me down, saying it was my first hundred; get it in singles as it's your first," he said.

Having scored his maiden T20I hundred earlier this year against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, Kohli recorded his first ODI ton since August 2019. In a reminder of the famous six off Haris Rauf in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, he picked a back-of-a-length delivery from Ebadot Hossain for a six to reach his century in 86 balls.

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Once both were gone, India managed just 70 runs in the last ten overs while losing five wickets. Having already conceded the three-match series after losing the first two ODIs following ordinary batting, India under KL Rahul brought Kishan to open with the struggling veteran opener, Shikhar Dhawan.

Their opening partnership lasted 4.1 overs as Mehidy Hasan trapped Dhawan leg-before for three. The off-spinner nearly had Kohli when he drove straight to short mid-wicket, but skipper Litton Das dropped him on six. After that, it was one-way traffic for India as Kishan smashed the Bangladesh bowling with his explosive batting. Dealing primarily in boundaries, the diminutive batter relished the short-pitched stuff and looked in total control on both sides of the wicket. Kohli performed 'bhangra' steps before hugging the youngster after he reached his double century.

(With inputs from PTI)