India vs England 2020-21, 2nd ODI: Records smashed as England pulls off a stellar win
England is giving India something to fight for in the ongoing three-game One-Day International series. While India outplayed England in the opening game, the latter has struck back in the second. While records were destroyed, all eyes are on the decider.
England came up with a mind-blowing performance with the bat, drubbing India by six wickets in the second One-Day International at the MCA Stadium in Pune on Friday. The series is locked 1-1, with the decider on Sunday, while numerous records were broken in this tie, as we take a look.
England does a first
The English bowlers started off with two seamers during the Indian batting. It was the first time since 2009 that the same, barring Pakistan, had done so in an ODI against India, with the last being Australia's Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger.
Virat Kohli does a special again
Kohli played a commendable knock of 66, while he has now played a knock of 50-plus in four consecutive ODI innings. Incidentally, it is also the seventh time in his ODI career he has done so in four or more ODI innings.
India does a unique one
India managed to post yet another total of 300-plus, having done so in the past five ODIs. It is the second instance in India's ODI history that it has done so, with the last and only occasion being in 2017.
KL Rahul pulls off a special
Rahul played a crucial comeback knock of 108 to silence his critics. Incidentally, he became the fifth number four batsman for India to score an ODI century since 2015, with the other four being Manish Pandey (2016), Yuvraj Singh (2017), Ambati Rayudu (2018) and Shreyas Iyer (2020). Parenthetically, he has also scored the first ODI ton for India in the new retro jersey.
Jason Roy-Jonny Bairstow key to England's opening stand
Roy and Bairstow yet again produced a century opening stand, with a partnership of 110 runs. As a result, the pair has now scored the most century stands in ODIs for England (13), going past Joe Root-Eoin Morgan's 12. Also, the couple became the second to hit a 100-plus run opening stand in three consecutive ODIs after Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.
Bairstow scores a distinctive one
Bairstow played a terrific knock of 124, which was also his 11th ODI ton. Consequently, he has now become the fastest Englishman to the same, in 78 innings and the fourth in the world, bettering Kohli's 82. The record for the same is with Hashim Amla (64).
England deals in sixes against India
The English batsmen smashed 20 sixes in this game. Therefore, this is the most hit by England in an ODI against England, bettering its 13 during the 2019 ICC World Cup. It is also the joint best by any sidde against India, equalling South Africa, that did the same in 2015.
Kuldeep Yadav registers a low
Indian chinaman spinner Kuldeep was smacked for 84 runs in his ten overs, which included eight sixes. It is the most conceded by an Indian in an ODI innings, going past R Vinay Kumar's seven against Australia in 2013.
Krunal Pandya gives away an expensive one
Krunal was the most expensive bowler, smashed for 72 in just six overs, while one of his overs conceded 28. Consequently, he became the second most costly bowler in an ODI for India after Yuvraj Singh and Ishant Sharma (30 each).
(Image courtesy: BCCI)
India stoops yet another low
It was the fifth instance of India using just five bowlers while conceding the highest total during a chase. Notably, while this was the second-highest conceded by the side using the same during a hunt, India is the only side to have done so in the five highest total conceded during a chase.
Match summary
Winning the toss, England invited India to bat first, as Rahul struck a fine century, duly supported by Kohli and Rishabh Pant, to steer India to a respectable total of 336/6. However, the English batsmen, too, took it to the Indian bowlers, thanks to Bairstow-Roy-Stokes, who made the chase look easy.
Brief scores: India 336/6 (Kohli 66, Rahul 108, Pant 77; Topley 2/50) lost to England 337/4 in 43.3 overs (Roy 55, Bairstow 124, Stokes 99; Krishna 2/58) by six wickets.