Prasidh Krishna showed Indian cricket fans what he is capable of with a sensational spell against the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. With India having posted a total of 237/9, Krishna led the team's response with the ball with a fiery spell that saw him bag three wickets in five overs while giving away just four runs. Krishna also bowled two maiden overs in the spell. The Indian pace bowler first removed Windies opener Brandon King, before bagging the wicket of Darren Bravo. Krishna then removed Nicholas Pooran to put India in control.
Watch the video of Krishna removing Bravo here:
Earkier, Suryakumar Yadav hit a dogged 64 but the West Indies bowlers dished out an impressive show to restrict India to 237 for nine.
The hosts were reeling at 43 for three after a top-order collapse but then Surya forged a crucial 91-run stand with vice-captain KL Rahul (49) to bring the team back on track.
The elegant Surya, who notched up his second fifty, mixed caution with aggression and hammered five fours in his 83-ball knock, on a track, where batting wasn't easy.
India lost skipper Rohit Sharma (5) cheaply when tried to chase a widish delivery off pacer Kemar Roach (1/42) and edged to Shai Hope after West Indies opted to field.
Virat Kohli (18), who is playing his 100th ODI in India, then joined Rishabh Pant (18), who opened for first-time in the 50-over format.
Kohli's first boundary was an elegant cover drive in the fifth over, off Roach and off the same bowler he cut behind square to get his second.
The pace duo of Roach and Alzarri Joseph (2/36) bowled a tight line as India could hit only two fours in the first seven overs and crawled to 22/1.
Pant got his first boundary, his trademark pull shot over deep mid-wicket and then hammered two more fours. But pacer Odean Smith (2/29) pegged back the hosts by removing both Pant and Kohli in the 12th over as India slipped to 43/3.
First Smith removed Pant, who mistimed a pull and gave a sitter to Jason Holder and then dismissed a well-set Kohli, after the former captain edged to Hope.
Surya, who got his first four through a drive, was initially the aggressive one but Rahul then freed his arms, starting with a towering maximum, a pull shot, off left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein (1/39).
The two kept ticking the scoreboard, as India were poised at 91/3 after 25 overs.
Rahul struck four fours and two sixes in his 48-ball knock. But just when it looked that they would score big, Rahul was run out in the 30th over.
Surya then found an able ally in Washington Sundar (24), as the duo added 43 runs for the fifth wicket.
However, Surya perished in the 39th over, giving an easy catch to Joseph, as Fabian Allen (1/50) got his only wicket.
Sundar too was unable to convert his start. Then Deepak Hooda's 29 off 25 deliveries helped India go past the 225-run mark.
The hosts could add only 54 runs in the last 10 overs.
(With PTI inputs)