Ind vs SL 4th ODI: Rohit Sharma's historic double-hundred powers India to a huge win
Kolkata: Riding on Rohit Sharma's historic second double-hundred in ODIs, India steamrolled Sri Lanka by 153 runs at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This was India's fourth win in a row under Virat kohli's captaincy.
Batting first India put a mammoth total of 404 after Rohit scored a strokeful career best 264, also the highest by any batsman in one-day international cricket.
Here is how the action unfolded in today's match at Kolkata.
Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat on Thursday afternoon. After thrashing Sri Lanka to seal the series, Team India would be keen to win their fourth game in a row.
India brought in Rohit Sharma, Karn Sharma and Stuart Binny in place of Shikhar Dhawan, R Ashwin and Ishant Sharma in the playing XI. Sri Lanka bettered India in this regard and made four changes in their team.
India made a sparkling start after Ajinkya Rahane hit three crisp boundaries in the first over bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara. While India included Uthappa in the playing XI, they opted to open the inning with Rohit Sharma, who has been India's opener in recent times in ODIs, whenever a part of playing XI.
The match started on a sweet note when Angelo Mathews and Virat Kohli cut a cake to bring in 150th anniversary of the Eden Gardens.
(Photo: BCCI)
Rohit, in the fifth over, offered Sri Lanka a chance to end his inning. But Thisara Perera who was stationed at third-man made an absolute mess of a simple catch to give India and Rohit their first lifeline.
(Photo: BCCI)
Rahane, on the other end, continued to hit crisp boundaries. But just when, he looked good, a shot across the line caught him plumb in front and added a wicket to skipper Angelo Mathews' account.
(Photo: BCCI)
Rayudu then joined Rohit in the middle. But he failed to last long after he played inside the line of the ball and was castled by Eranga on the final ball of the 13th over. Virat Kohli, came in to bat at number 4. The Indian skipper did not have much trouble adjusting to the conditions.
Rohit too slowly but surely found his groove and made sure the scorecard kept ticking. He brought up his fifty in the 24th over. The duo continued to bat sensibly and without any toruble. In the 30th over, they completed a hundred-run partnership.
While Rohit upped the ante after his fifty, Kohli gave him a good company, rotating the strike and crossing the boundary rope whenever the opportunity presented itself. Making a comeback, Rohit completed a well-deserved hundred.
While the hundred in itself was special, the celebration conveyed how much mattered to him. Along with it, it proved that his claim to continue to play opener's role was not too misplaced.
The Kohli-Rohit pair continued to demolish Sri Lankan attack. They smashed 57 runs in the batting powerplay as they completed 200-run partnership. While Kohli added one more fifty to his account, Rohit went past 150-run mark with ease.
However, an utter confusion between the two cost India their third wicket. Kohli was the one who had to return to the dressing room after scoring 66 off 64 balls. Suresh Rania, although made a bright start, got out on 11.
But Rohit Sharma continued to make merry and enthraled one and all. Known as Hitman in cricketing circles, he notched up his second ODI double-hundred and became the first man to achieve a historic feat of such magnitude.
MS Dhoni who is currently resting was quick to congratulate Rohit Sharma.
Very well batted Rohit.thats Rohit for everyone,sheer talent.Enjoy and Witness the class in action.
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) November 13, 2014If Rohit doesn't get out he will certainly get 250 today
— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) November 13, 2014Rohit Sharma wasted no time fulfiling Dhoni's wish and crossed 250-run mark. India eventually put up mammoth 404 on board with Rohit scoring 264 runs.
Irfan Pathan wasted no time congratulating Rohit. He tweeted.
Amazing shots. Pleasing to the eyes. Hardwork meets talent n becomes rohit Sharma. Well played buddy
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) November 13, 2014Sri Lankan inning was off to a horrible start following a dazzling double-hundred from Rohit Sharma. Umesh Yadav struck in his first over to dismiss Kusal Perera. Sri Lanka were dealt with another blow when Stuart Binny dismissed Dinesh Chandimal in the sixth over.
(Photo: BCCI)
While Sri Lankan chances of winning the game was all but gone, they lost their most experienced batsman Mahela Jayawardene in the 9 th over. The willy Sri Lanka was caught plumb in front by Umesh Yadav.
A tad too late, but Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews tried to steady the sinking ship. The duo brought up Sri Lanka's hundred in the 20th over. Angelo Mathews' playing a skipper's knock, scored a fifty with Thirimanne provinding him a solid support.
But Mathews' vigil came to an end when he was stumpped off Akshar Patel's bowling on 75. Lahiru Thirimanne though continued to bat well and brought up his half-century. Thisara Perera who dropped Rohit Sharma when he was on four tried to salvage some pride by smashing Karn Sharma acround the park.
(Photo: BCCI)
However, Dhawal Kulkarni broke Thirimanne-Perera partnership when he dismissed Thirimanne in the 37th over. Kulkarni got his third international wicket in the same over when Perera edged one to the keeper Robin Uthappa.Dhawal Kulkarni added two more wickets to his account in his next over dismissing Kulasekara and Prasanna.
(Photo: BCCI)
Ajantha Mendis and Shaminda Eranga then took Sri Lanka past 250. But Mendis' patience ran out and he switched-hit Akshar Patel only to get out.
Sri Lanka not only lost the game by a huge margin but they could not cross Rohit Sharma's 264 either.
Teams:
India: Robin Uthappa (wicketkeeper), Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (captain), Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Akshar Patel, Karn Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni.
Sri Lanka: Tilakratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal (wicketkeeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga, Anjantha Mendis.
