After The Rohit-Rahul Show, Kuldeep Spins A Web Around WI

The openers slam centuries to propel India to a massive total of 387 before the chinaman bowler performs a hat-trick for the second time in ODIs

- V.V. Subrahmanyam

Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s hat-trick proved the icing on the cake after openers Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul’s brilliant centuries as India scripted a 107-run win against the West Indies in the second ODI at the Dr. YSRACA-VDCA Stadium here on Wednesday.

Pulling level

The victory helped Kohli’s men pull level and take the series to the decider at Cuttack on December 22.

A superb piece of fielding by Shreyas Iyer from the deep to run out Shimron Hetmyer and a beauty from left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja to castle Roston Chase turned the contest on its head. Pacer Shardul Thakur had struck the first blow, inducing a false shot from opener Evin Lewis who skied to deep midwicket.

Lucky Hope

Lewis’ partner Shai Hope, who was dropped on zero at second slip by Rahul off seamer Deepak Chahar, put on a 106-run stand for the fourth wicket with a belligerent Nicholas Pooran.

The left-hander, too, earned a reprieve on 22 when fielder Chahar grassed him off Jadeja. However, once pacer Mohammed Shami sent back Pooran, who pulled straight to the deep fielder, and dismissed Kieron Pollard for a first-ball duck — the West Indies skipper had earlier removed Virat Kohli for a golden duck — the chase unravelled.

Kuldeep, who had taken a hat-trick in an ODI against Australia in 2017 in Kolkata, sent back Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph off successive deliveries to become the first Indian to claim two hat-tricks in ODIs.