India 247 for 9 (Abhishek 135, Carse 3-38) beat England 97 (Salt 55, Shami 3-25) by 150 runs
On his watch, India romped to a massive total of 247 for 9, which would prove to be overkill in a crushing 150-run victory, and with it a 4-1 series scoreline.
In response, Phil Salt reprised some of the form that had lit up last year’s IPL, to crack his way to a 21-ball fifty, but his was a lone hand in an overwhelmed England reply, as they stumbled to 97 all out in 10.3 overs.
And then, after Jos Buttler, Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone had each fallen in their quest to stay in touch with a rate of more than two a ball, Abhishek was tossed the ball for the ninth over, and duly bagged two more in five balls, as Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton each holed out.
Abhishek tears it up
All of that, however, was somewhat superfluous to the day’s main action. The stats of Abhishek’s innings were as breathless as his strokeplay. He creamed an India-record 13 sixes (equating to almost one in four of his balls faced), all of them in the arc from point to mid-on, with the crowd at extra cover living a particularly dangerous existence.
At times, it was like watching a full-fidelity game of Stick Cricket, with Abhishek’s utter faith in the conditions, and in England’s often guileless lengths, encouraging him to plant his front foot to pace and spin alike, and launch even 150kph deliveries with impunity through the line.
At the 10-over mark of the innings, the sky was the limit for India’s ambitions. Abhishek had pumped his way to 99 from 36 balls, and with 143 for 2 on the board, the first Full Member 300 was very much on the cards.
India’s onslaught could not be entirely contained, however. Abhishek reasserted himself as Carse’s final over went for 17, and though a game of cat-and-mouse with Adil Rashid resulted in a miscued wrong’un to deep cover, that wasn’t until Abhishek had connected with two more sixes back over the bowler’s head.
There was no shortage of needle after the events at Pune, where Harshit Rana’s controversial introduction as Shivam Dube’s concussion substitute had left England feeling rather aggrieved. Buttler’s description at the toss of England’s four unselected players as “impact subs” was an amusing commitment to the rumpus.
The fact that Dube was back in action, just 48 hours after a heavy blow to the helmet from Overton, was further reason for England to look slightly askance at that call. But not only did Dube show no ill-effects, he underlined the fact that his own bowling – though noticeably less express than Harshit’s – was every bit as capable of making an impression.
His first delivery, at the start of the eighth over, was the final death knell to England’s innings. Salt had bludgeoned 17 runs from Shami’s first over – the only moment at which England had been ahead of India’s rate – but when he snicked Dube’s 117kph sighter through to Dhruv Jurel, England were 82 for 5 and sinking fast. He then bowled Jacob Bethell with the first ball of his next over. Oh, and he also thumped 30 from 13 balls for good measure.
More to follow
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
