With a packed stadium in Pune adding to the atmosphere, the first of the 3 ODIs made for gripping viewing. Virat Kohli won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling first. Due to the deadly combination of flat pitch and impending dew, England badly needed a daunting total.
Aided by contributions from majority of the batting lineup, the visitors posted an even 350 at the end of their 50 overs. However, the score did not turn out to be anywhere near enough as India hunted it down ruthlessly to take a 1-0 lead.
Let us place the performance of every Indian cricketer under the microscope and see who contributed what to the hosts’ daring run-chase. All ratings are calibrated on a scale of 10.
Virat Kohli – 9.5
The 28-year old run-machine marked the occasion of him taking over the ODI captaincy with an astounding knock. Some of the shots that he played simply defied belief. Coming into bat at a precarious situation, Kohli led from the front by turning the tide in India’s favour. Though he gave his wicket away at the wrong time, the Delhi dasher had set the platform the chase and equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most number of centuries in run-chases.
Kedar Jadhav – 9.5
Realising that it was impossible for his skipper to do everything by himself, Jadhav rose to the occasion and produced a stellar century. The diminutive right-hander brought the required run-rate down by striking at 157.89 in what was shaping up to be a tall chase. By bravely fighting a severe bout of cramps, the local lad showed his tenacity as well.
Hardik Pandya – 8.5
Despite the change of guard in the leadership seat, Pandya continued to take the new-ball alongside Umesh Yadav. The all-rounder adapted to his role in different situations and took out Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler to end up as the pick of the bowlers for India. In the batting department, he took control of the run-chase as the finishing line loomed and remained unbeaten as well.
Ravindra Jadeja – 7
The left-arm spinner displayed his value to the team with a reasonably tight spell on a batting-friendly surface. Relying on relentless accuracy and subtle changes of pace, he was instrumental in keeping England relatively quiet in the middle-overs. The delivery to outwit Jason Roy shed light into his effectiveness as a reliable limited-overs bowler. However, his senseless shot towards the end of the chase exposed the lower-order to needless pressure.
Jasprit Bumrah – 6
This ODI can be classified as the most eventful one in Bumrah’s career thus far. The 23-year old seamer effected a remarkable run-out with a direct hit from fine leg. But, things began to go pear-shaped when he delivered a succession of beamers in the death overs. The umpire though did not pull him out of the attack much to the England batsmen's frustration.
Umesh Yadav – 5
Although Yadav is capable of clocking serious miles, his lack of control comes back to haunt him on plenty of occasions. This was one such game wherein opposition batsmen used the extra pace to their advantage. The penultimate over, however, showed what he can do if he does get it right.
Ravichandran Ashwin – 4.5
It came across as a huge mystery when the world’s top-ranked Test bowler and a highly intelligent white-ball operator decided to bowl predominantly on the pads from around the wicket. Ashwin’s defensive tactics belied his prowess and gave him his joint-worst bowling figures of 8-0-63-0.
Yuvraj Singh – 3.5
The seasoned southpaw entered the cauldron amidst intense pressure. After suffering a couple of early wickets, India needed the 35-year old at his very best. Despite raising hopes with a stylish six and a couple of boundaries, Yuvraj nicked an innocuous delivery off Ben Stokes to the wicket-keeper.
MS Dhoni – 3
Having stepped down from captaincy, the stage was set for a freed-up Dhoni to roll back the years. The crowd lay in anticipation when he walked into the middle. A few minutes later, the entire stadium went absolutely quiet after the veteran succumbed to an error in judgment. With the gloves, he was safe as ever and even pulled off another smart stumping.
KL Rahul – 2
With Rohit Sharma not in the squad, the onus was on Rahul to get his team going in the Power Play overs. But, the elegant right-hander could not find his timing against the wily new-ball attack that England have brought with them. David Willey got one to swing late and breach his defence in the sixth over.
Shikhar Dhawan – 1
Back in the side after recovering from a thumb injury, Dhawan needed a strong start to the series to salvage his spot. However, he only made his position much worse by labouring to a 10-ball 1. Upon struggling to pierce the gaps, the left-hander failed to account for the swing and perished subsequently.
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