MUMBAI: On Sunday, at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium, there were many moments in the first half of the opening One-day International game when the Indian players dished out mediocre stuff after choosing to bowl against West Indies.
With only one year left until the ODI World Cup, it was clear this team is still a work in progress as West Indies raced to 135/0. Coach Gautam Gambhir thus has the task of explaining the quality needed to be a champion outfit.
Gambhir’s advantage is that he doesn’t need to search outside the dressing room. He only needs to point to the performances of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav in the game to explain what it means to be world class.
For the packed house at the stadium, it was an absolute joy to watch Kohli dish out another masterclass in chase, helping India reach the target of 296 in just 41.4 overs.
In an unforgettable night, he gave the local crowd plenty to cheer. On way to his 55th hundred, he became only the second batter to complete 15,000 runs, after Sachin Tendulkar.
Toying with the West Indies bowling, he smashed as many as nine sixes on way to an unbeaten 139 (88 balls), getting to his hundred also with a six. Scoring at a strike rate of 135 plus, he took just 74 balls to reach the three-figure mark.
Gill was at his absolute best too. Making the most of an early reprieve, the skipper smashed his 10th hundred, scoring a 108-ball 110. Batting alongside Kohli in a partnership of 151 (132 balls), he matched his senior pro stroke for stroke, hitting 13 fours and one six.
But on a belter of a pitch, it was hard work for bowlers, which made Kuldeep’s performance of 4/40 all the more valuable.
It has not been easy days for the spinner. He has never got a consistent run. He played just one game during the 2026 T20 World Cup, in the previous ODI series in England he warmed the bench. His confidence was further hit when in last month’s Test series in Sri Lanka, he was under-utilised, bowling 14 overs in the first Test and 11 in the second.
On Sunday, Kuldeep provided proof of what he can do when his captain gives him full backing, returning with superb figures of 10-1-40-4. His bowling performance helped India pull things back after West Indies openers, Justin Greaves and John Campbell, gave them a superb start.
India’s bowlers didn’t seem to have any answers against the left-hand and right-hand opening combination as the visitors raced to 135/0 in the 20th over, but Kuldeep’s fine display put the brakes in the middle to restrict them to 295/7.
Greaves scored a fantastic maiden century, 101 off 108 balls, while Campbell made 62 off 60 balls.
However, after the introduction of Kuldeep in the 16th over, it suddenly became a different ball game. Showing why he is rated so highly, from ball one the left-arm wrist spinner was in his elements. The batters were unable to read which way the ball was going. The breakthrough duly came. In his third over, the 20th of the innings, Kuldeep foxed the set Campbell into mis-hitting a sweep to backward square leg fielder Prasidh Krishna.
Brought back for his second spell in the 34th over, he picked three wickets in two overs to trigger a collapse of 4/22 from overs 31 to 36 to break the back of the West Indies innings.
At the total of 195, he first foxed Shai Hope before delivering a double-wicket maiden in the 36th, removing the centurion Greaves and Jewel Andrew to be on a hat-trick.
Only some late fireworks by Amir Jangoo, who hit a 43-ball unbeaten 58, helped the tourists recover ground and finish close to 300.
