Rohit leads easy chase after spinners bundle out WI for 176

Ahmedabad: Skipper Rohit Sharma brought in a sense of calm with a sizzling 60 after India’s new spin combination of Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar laid the platform for an easy six-wicket victory over West Indies in the first ODI which also happened to be the country’s 1000th one.

First the hosts bundled out West Indies for a meagre 176 in 43.5 overs as spinners Chahal (4/49 in 9.5 overs) and Washington (3/30 in 9 overs) ran through their listless line-up and then skipper smashed 60 off 51 balls with hosts chased down the target in just 28 overs.

It is the 10th time in last 16 games that West Indies have failed to bat full 50 overs despite presence of senior players like Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran to name a few.

After a brief middle-order wobble, Suryakumar Yadav (34 no) and debutant Deepak Hooda (26 no) added 62 runs without much pressure to take the team home.

Just like the skipper, India also missed batter Rohit in South Africa in equal measure and on his comeback, there were no signs of any hamstring niggle as he smashed 10 fours and a six, adding 84 with stand-in opener Ishan Kishan (28).

Virat Kohli (8) also started with two boundaries but was holed out in the deep while Rishabh Pant was unfortunately run-out at the nonstriker’s end.

But Rohit was in his element, while young Kishan, played second fiddle to perfection.

The former toyed with the West Indies attack, as the hosts were on course for a comfortable chase with the team fifty coming up in the ninth over.

Rohit, who made a comeback to the team after an injury, was brutal on veteran Kemar Roach, hitting him for two fours and a maximum – his trademark pull shot, as India fetched 15 runs off the 10th over and raced to 67/0.

By the time Alzarri Joseph (2/45) trapped him leg-before, India were on their way towards an easy win in a milestone game.

Earlier, Chahal and Sundar wreaked havoc on a slow track as the West Indies batters made a beeline to the pavilion, save Jason Holder (57; 4x6) and Fabian Allen (29). (PTI)

Brief Score:

West Indies: 176 in 43.5 overs (Jason Holder 57, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/49, Washington Sundar 3/30, Prasidh Krishna 2/29). India: 178 for 4 in 28 overs (Rohit Sharma 60; Alzarri Joseph 2/45).