Kuldeep Yadav took career-best figures of 6-25 off his 10 overs
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India spinner Kuldeep Yadav took a career-best six wickets and opening batsman Rohit Sharma hammered an unbeaten 137 as their side demolished England by eight wickets in the first ODI in Nottingham.
Kuldeep and Rohit were well supported by India captain Virat Kohli, who scored an entertaining 75.
Being put in to bat first, England made an excellent start to their innings as openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow amassed a 73-run partnership before Roy was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav for 38.
Joe Root only scored three runs before being trapped lbw off the bowling of Kuldeep.
Four balls later, Kuldeep had his third wicket as Bairstow, who made 38, was also rapped on the pads in front of the stumps.
Bairstow was not given out initially, but Kohli opted to review, which benefited India as replays showed the ball was pitching in line and going on to hit the stumps.
England captain Eoin Morgan failed to have much of an impact as he was caught by Suresh Raina at midwicket off the bowling of Yuzvendra Chahal for 19.
Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes stemmed the flow of wickets with a 93-run partnership, during which Buttler brought up his half-century.
Jos Buttler’s red-hot form with the bat continued
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However, he was unable to make the most of it as he was caught behind off the bowling of Kuldeep for 53, which came off 51 balls and included five boundaries.
Stokes went on to make 50 off 103 deliveries, which included two boundaries, before he was brilliantly caught by Siddarth Kaul off the bowling of Kuldeep.
Ben Stokes scored his 12th ODI fifty
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David Willey was on his way back to the pavilion five balls later as he struck a delivery from Kuldeep straight to Lokesh Rahul at deep midwicket.
Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid scored 24 and 22 respectively toward the end of England’s innings before the hosts were bowled out for 268.
Kuldeep was easily the pick of the bowlers with six wickets, while Umesh Yadav took two and Chahal chipped in with one.
Chasing 269 to win, India got off to a great start as Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan forged a 59-run partnership before Dhawan was caught by Rashid at backward point off the bowling of Moeen for 40.
Rohit and Kohli kept the runs flowing with a 167-run stand, during which Rohit surpassed his hundred and Kohli his fifty.
Virat Kohli struck his 47th half-century in ODI cricket
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With India in cruise control, England finally got a much-needed breakthrough when Kohli was stumped by Buttler off the bowling of Rashid for 75, which came off 82 balls and included seven boundaries.
Rohit and Rahul finished mopped up the remaining runs as India won the match with 59 balls to spare.
Rohit finished on 137 off 114 balls, which included 15 boundaries and four sixes, while Rahul remained undefeated on nine.
Rohit Sharma celebrates after scoring his 18th ODI hundred
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Moeen and Rashid claimed one wicket each.
Morgan was less than impressed with his side’s performance, and said: “Certainly not our best day we’ve had here, full credit to India, they completely outplayed us. Playing against spin is a challenge we will hopefully continue to improve.
We might need to [find] a better way to play him…think Lord’s will be different. He [Kuldeep] extracted more turn than any other spinner. Our playing against spin will have to improve. To be honest, between now and the World Cup, we need to expose our areas of weakness and this is one of them.”
Kohli was thrilled to have won, and said: “As clinical as it can be. We knew it was a really good wicket, but wrist-spin in the middle overs would be tricky. When they have 10 overs, they know they have the skills to have an impact. Kuldeep was outstanding, I don’t think I’ve seen a better ODI spell in a while. We want him confident because we know he can be a match-winner. 50 over cricket, if you don’t get wickets it’s very difficult.
“[Kuldeep for the Test side?] There might be a few surprises there, we have a few days to pick the Test side. Looking at the England batsmen struggling, we might be tempted to do that. The weather has been lovely, very welcoming. It’s been good so far. It doesn’t feel like we are away from home. There’s some tough cricket in front of us.”
Kuldeep was named Man of the Match, and said: “For me it’s a big day. I started pretty well, luckily I got some early wickets. For me it doesn’t matter where I’m playing. There was a little bit of turn. After the first over I felt in the game. If you are using your variations, it’s more difficult for the batsmen. I’m hoping [to be in the] Test squad, let’s see.”