India skipper Virat Kohli and deputy Rohit Sharma smashed breathtaking centuries as the hosts’ domination over West Indies continued with a facile eight-wicket win in the first One-day International in Guwahati on Sunday.
Making a mockery of what looked like a stiff 323-run target, the home team cantered to a win with 7.5 overs to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Kohli pounded the Caribbean bowlers with 21 fours and two sixes to bring up his 36th ODI century. He now needs just 81 runs to get to the 10,000-run mark.
After early departure of Shikhar Dhawan (4), Kohli stitched a massive 246-run stand for the second wicket with Rohit, who remained unbeaten on 152. Rohit got his 20th hundred, which came off 117 balls with 15 fours and eight sixes.
While Kohli and Rohit plundered boundaries to entertain the packed stadium, the West Indies bowlers wilted. The only high point for the West Indies while defending their total was 21-year-old newcomer Oshane Thomas’ raw pace up front.
Playing his first ODI in more than three months, Kohli looked unstoppable. The 30-year-old also got past the milestone of 2000 International runs in the calendar year.
He emulated batting legend Sachin Tendulkar in scoring 2000-plus runs in three successive years. After Kohli was stumped off leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, Rohit took the India home in the company of Ambati Rayudu (22).
West Indies did a fine job by getting to a challenging total of 322/8, capitalising on the absence of India’s frontline pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah. The duo has been rested for the first two ODIs and 21-year-old Shimron Hetmyer (106) put to sword an under-strength Indian attack to march to his third ODI hundred.
Hetmyer punished the Indian bowlers with six fours and as many sixes during his thrilling 78-ball knock. However, any hopes of a close contest evaporated when Kohli and Rohit started striking the ball cleanly. The Indian bowling looked lacklustre while the fielding was shoddy. The Guyanese lad brought up his half-century in 41 balls built two 50-run plus partnerships with Rovman Powell (22) and skipper Jason Holder (38).
Hetmyer touched the three-figure mark by lofting Mohammed Shami for a six over extra cover. While he used brute force against the pacers, the southpaw also looked fluent against the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja, before being dismissed by the latter for 106. The leg-spinner was easily the pick of the bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of 3/41.
