« Back to article

Print this article

Images: Kohli, Gambhir lead India to easy win

Delhi-born Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir guided India to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over England in the second one-day international on Monday.

- Scorecard / Match Report

India fast bowler R. Vinay Kumar recorded career-best one-day figures to skittle the visitors for 237 before the 22-year-old Kohli's unbeaten 112, including 16 boundaries, guided the hosts to their target with more than 13 overs to spare.

Left-hander Gambhir made 84 and the pair added 209 runs for the third wicket after India had lost two early wickets to fast bowler Tim Bresnan.

England, who now trail the five-match series 2-0, got off to a disastrous start after opting to bat, losing openers Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter without a single run on the board.

England off to a poor start

Earlier, the England began on a bad not losing two wickets without t a run on the board. England lost both the openers Cook and Kieswetter within the first two overs and without a single run on the board.

Praveen Kumar first removed England's captain Alastrair Cook off the fourth ball of the first over, then at the other end, Vinay Kumar found the edge of Craig Kieswetter.

England lose Bopara and Pietersen in quick succession

Experienced Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen survived a few anxious moments to steady England innings. Trott and Pietersen added 48 runs for the third wicket before Vinay Kumar struck again by dismissing Trott, who edged an outgoing delivery to Dhoni behind the stumps.

His knock of 34 came off 37 deliveries and contained seven boundaries.Pietersen and Ravi Bopara steadied the innings to some extent and ensured that there were no further setbacks.

Just when the duo looked like bailing England out of trouble, the Indians bounced back into the game by sending back the two set batsmen in quick succession.

Ashwin, first had Bopara walking back, after he trapped him plumb in front of the stumps, then at the other end, Umesh Yadav found the edge of Pietersen's bat, which was safely pouched by Dhoni.

Bairstow, Patel revive England innings

Big-hitting Jonathan Bairstow and Samit Patel, then joined hands to steady England innings. The duo first took singles and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking with the odd boundaries.

England managed to get to move on during the Powerplays, where they took on the spinners, picking 36 runs off five overs.

The sixth-wicket partnership between Bairstow and Patel yielded a vital 86 runs before Umesh Yadav provided the breakthrough much to the relief of the Indians.

Patel was trapped leg before for 42 which came off 53 balls and was laced with two fours and as many sixes.

England bowlers strike early

Indians too like the visitors were off to a poor start, losing Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane for not too many.  Patel couldn't capitalize on the reprieve that he got when he was dropped by Graeme Swann in the slips.

Patel, looking to clear the in-field, ended up lobbing a simple catch to Alastair Cook off Tim Bresnan.

Ajinkya Rahane soon followed, after giving a simple catch to Jade Dernbach at fine-leg. India were 29-2 at that stage.

Kohli, Gambhir leads a magnificent fight back

Delhi boys Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli then played sensible cricket picking up single and twos before unleashing on the England bowlers. The visitors too were sloppy on the field with misfields and dropped catches cost them dear in the end.

Steve Finn was the most impressive bowler for England as India won the match in 36.4 overs. Kohli finished the game with a boundary off Jade Dernbach.