CUTTACK: Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the two old guns, fired on all cylinders as India piled up a massive 381 in the second ODI against England riding on centuries by the duo at the Barabati Stadium here on Thursday.
After Chris Woakes ripped through the top order and left India tottering at 25 for three in the fourth over, Yuvraj and Dhoni joined forces, much like old gunslingers, and went about a rescue act so spectacular and so familiar from the good old days that England bowlers had nowhere to hide.
The 256-run partnership between the two, that came off 235 deliveries, left England completely deflated and set the stage for India to clinch the series.
The 381 for six is India’s ninth highest score in the ODIs. But it was a vintage Yuvraj who started the show. Coming out of wilderness but a good domestic season, he counterattacked the English right from the word go. The signature pulls, flicks and hoicks were back. At 25/3, when Dhoni joined him at the crease, Yuvraj had got his eyes in.
While the former Indian captain was cautious and had scored just 1 of the first 15 balls, Yuvraj was in no mood to be contained as he raced to his half-century of just 56 deliveries.
There was no holding back the duo after that as India raced to 100 in 22nd over with Yuvraj dealing in boundaries.
Apart from Woakes, who picked up the first three wickets, all other English bowlers were taken to task. Liam Plunkett, who had come in for Adil Rashid, was belted all over the park. Ben Stokes, Jade Ball and David Willey were not spared either.
With Yuvraj in free flow, the duo put up a 100 run partnership for the fourth wicket in 118-balls. While Yuvi contributed 73, Dhoni had stitched up a quiet 26. India reached 150 in the 27.5 overs. Dhoni reached his fifty in 68-balls and the run rate started picking up.
The southpaw reached his 14th century off 98 balls. This one came almost after six years and included 15 four and a six. As India reached the 200 run mark in the 34.1 over, Yuvi was in roaring form.
He smashed a boundary to reach the 200 run partnership for the fourth wicket in which he had contributed 116 runs while Dhoni made 80. England was clearly on the backfoot with the bowlers erring in line and length as the duo took them to cleaners. By the end of 40th over, the team reached 261 and the duo had set a perfect platform for a total well over 350.
Yuvraj collected his career-best 150 off 126 balls with 21 fours three six. Before Woakes struck again in the 42nd over and removed the left-hander, he had made his Barabati outing a memorable one by bettering his 139 run against Australia at Sydney.
Dhoni had joined the run fest and scored his 10th century in 106-balls which was studded with nine boundaries and three sixes. While the team total crossed 300 in 44.6 overs, Dhoni was back in the groove, an inside-out six over cover followed by a hoick over mid-wicket.
As the team score 350 for 4 in 47.4 overs, Dhoni hit a six off Plunkett before holing out to the deep. His 122-ball 134 run had 10 fours and his trademark six sixes. Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya and Ravinder Jadeja played cameos to take the score to 381.
Earlier, after choosing to bowl, Woakes took advantage of the juicy track dealt early blows to hosts who lost their openers cheaply. Like the last match, India could not be able to get a decent start with opener KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan finding it difficult to cope with Woakes' tidy line and variation off the pitch.
At team score of 14, Rahul edged one to second slip where Ben Stokes took an easy catch. In walked skipper Virat Kohli to a huge cheer and his first two scoring shots were two delectable punches to the boundary. But Kohli was lured by a full and widish delivery from Woakes and Stokes, again, took a diving catch at the second slips. India was reduced to 22/2 in the third over.
The other opener Shikhar Dhawan looked tentative with his footwork. Woakes delivered him two short deliveries and then presented a full one. Dhawan, caught in the crease, went for an expansive drive only to drag the ball onto the stumps. At 25/3, India was in trouble again. But Yuvraj and Dhoni had other plans. Woakes ended up with a match haul of 4-60 while Plunkett leaked 91 of his 10 but managed to pick up Dhoni.
Yuvi Talk:
Probably, one of my best innings. The last time I got a hundred was the 2011 World Cup. I am very happy with the innings. We were trying to get a partnership. I just wanted to play down the ground and not take much risk. I have been hitting the ball well in the whole domestic season. I had a word with Sanjay Bangar, I told him the way I am hitting the ball I will go big.
With the five-fielder rule, mid-on, mid-off is up, the wicket was not [helpful] for the seamers after the first 10 overs. Dhoni has been a sensational captain for India. When Mahi is not captaining, he will bat freely. Hopefully, if we take early wickets we can win the game.