Virat Kohli Achieves Big Feat, Joins Sachin Tendulkar And Rahul Dravid In Elite ODI List
Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli added another stunning milestone to his already illustrious career during the first ODI encounter against England.
Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli added another stunning milestone to his already illustrious career during the first ODI encounter against England on Tuesday. He became the fifth Indian cricketer ever to play 300 innings in ODI cricket after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly. Overall, Sachin tops the list with 452 innings followed by the Sri Lankan duo of Sanath Jayasuriya (433) and Mahela Jayawardene (418). This was the 312th ODI match for Kohli who has scored 14797 runs at an average of 58.71 and a brilliant strike rate of 93.82.
Coming to the match, the seasoned Joe Root and plucky Liam Dawson scored half-centuries in a gutsy seventh wicket stand for 121 runs as England posted a respectable 258 in the opening ODI despite Indian pace attack wreaking havoc.
From a solid 61 for no loss till the start of 13th over, England slumped to 107 for 6 before the end of the 22nd over and there seemed no chance of a recovery from that position.
However, Root with a run-a-ball 76, fought well alongside Dawson, whose career-best 68 off 83 balls took them to a position where bowlers had a decent total to defend.
Root played the field, waited patiently for Bumrah to complete his first two spells and attacked Axar Patel (4/62), Prasidh Krishna once the pitch showed signs of easing out.
The best shot was a ramp off a Jasprit Bumrah bouncer. He hit six fours and a six in all.
While the peerless Bumrah (1/31 in 9 overs) was the best Indian bowler in terms of skills and quality on display, young Gurnoor Brar (2/61 in 9 overs) and the usually profligate Prasidh (2/50 in 10 overs) also chipped in with wickets despite going for runs.
Axar ran through the tail after the Dawson-Root stand recording his best figures in ODI cricket. England opted to bat on a pitch that had bounce and carry with good value for shots.
(With PTI inputs)
Virat Kohli
Sachin Tendulkar
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team