India’s ODI ties with England took off from 1984 and since then there has been no love lost between the age-old antagonists. The English have been beaten black and blue in sub-continent conditions, but the story isn’t the same in English conditions.
Modern Indian batsmen, branded as extravagant stroke-makers, however, have always had the upper hand against English bowlers in ODIs. We take a look at some of the jaw-dropping knocks by Indian batsmen in ODIs against England in the last nine years.
#5 Yuvraj Singh – 150 from 127 balls, Cuttack, 2017
In 2011 while combating with cancer, Yuvraj Singh was hardly sure about whether he will be surviving the deadly disease or not. In 2017, the southpaw roared to his highest individual total in One-Day Internationals.
Yuvraj has been an epitome of hard word, perseverance, willpower and was hard to be kept in his shell. In the second ODI at Cuttack, Chris Woakes was all over India after picking up three big fishes and India required a helping hand. Yuvraj Singh came to their rescue after tormenting the English attack to a total of 381.
The wily old customer was back to his fearsome best as he demoralised the English all throughout his stand of 256 runs with erstwhile skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Riding on Yuvraj’s ton, India took an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the series.
#4 Suresh Raina – 100 of 75 Cardiff, 2014
Getting a hundred in England is undeniably worth rejoicing, more so, if a batsman comes to bat at number five in the line-up. Suresh Raina’s knock was no different. In the second ODI of India’s tour of England in Cardiff, Raina racked up a century of 75 balls to sneak India past the 300 run mark.
India was in a spot of bother with the score at 132/4 in the 30th over. India had lost an ominous looking Rohit Sharma at the wrong time. M.S Dhoni and Suresh Raina resurrected the innings with a 144 run stand. Raina took the charge in the partnership, piling up 85 of them with Dhoni playing the sheet anchor’s role.
With 12 boundaries and three sixes, Raina hardly allowed any bowler to settle into a rhythm, scoring at a fair clip against everyone. Raina has been India’s mainstay in the lower-middle order and the century is a palpable proof of his repertoire with the willow in alien conditions.
#3 Kedar Jadhav – 120 off 76 balls, Pune, January 2017
A rejuvenated England team oozed with confidence after they haemorrhaged their way to their highest team total against India in ODIs in Pune. However, they had to back it up by stifling down the Indian batsmen. And they performed it with grace. That is until a pocket-size dynamite reversed the odds.
After slinking along to 63/4 at the end of the 12th over, even the optimists wouldn’t have given India a chance of tracing down the target. Kedar Jadhav, however, had other plans. India’s latest star in the middle order took the attack to the opposition from the word go and re-ignited India’s hopes of pulling off the improbable.
Along with Virat Kohli, he compiled a partnership of 200 that brought India within touching distance. In a mere 66 deliveries, he raced away to the fifth fastest ton by an Indian in ODIs that was garnished by 12 boundaries and 4 sixes.
#2 Yuvraj Singh - 138 off 78 balls, Rajkot, 2008
Be it on the field or countering a fatal disease, Yuvraj Singh’s aggression isn’t an unknown entity. England got a taste of it at Rajkot during the first One-Day International of the series in 2008. Yuvraj Singh went berserk to score 138 runs off 78 balls.
He reached his ton from a meagre 64 balls after which he went hammer and tongs to plunder 38 runs in the next 14 deliveries. After Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag had set the launchpad, Yuvraj didn’t take much time to rub salt in the wounds of a horrendous beginning by the Englishmen.
With 16 boundaries and six monstrous blows, Yuvraj propelled the team total to 387 in the allotted 50 overs. India cantered along at a rate of nine after Yuvraj came into bat. This exhibits the impact Yuvraj had on the team. He eventually ended the series as the top run-getter with 325 runs at an average of 108.
#1 Virat Kohli 107 in 93 balls, Cardiff, 2011
Virat Kohli, after having an edgy Test series, was in need to prove a point to the selectors about his skills to graft in alien conditions. From the team’s perspective, the knocks weren’t match-winning, but Kohli had somewhat proved his critics wrong after an impressive show in the ODIs.
England had already closed out the series with a lead of 2-0 and India were only in with an opportunity at restoring some much-needed pride. In the fifth ODI, the men in Blue were rocked by two early wickets. However, Kohli soaked in the pressure and crafted an ODI century to remember.
With Rahul Dravid playing his final ODI, Kohli shepherded the Indian innings to a total of 304. Courtesy of the Duckworth-Lewis system, the target was pruned down to 241 in 34 overs – which England finished off in the 33rd over itself.
