Gambhir gets no birthday gift as Hope, bowlers help West Indies draw level in Hyderabad

HOPE PUNISHES INDIA AGAIN AS BOWLING PLANS FLOP

Before the game got underway, a lot was made about Gambhir’s demand for better cricketing wickets. He wanted the contest to be more fair between bat and ball. Given that it was his birthday, you would have imagined that he may have got his wish fulfilled.

The track at Uppal was supposedly relaid before this game. Shreyas revealed that it was a mix of 75 percent red soil and 25 black soil. The suggestions were that a score of 160-180 could be par on this track.

But what followed was totally against the script.

The first over from Mayank showed that there was some spice to the wicket. His first over stiffled the openers, making everyone feel that there could be a change in the pattern of the matches so far.

But soon enough, it felt like a new layer of tarmac was added to a traditional flat deck in Hyderabad. The second over from Arshdeep went for 17 runs as Jewel Andrew and Hope started to free their arms more.

Mayank’s second over was a disaster as he conceded five wides, a no ball and a six, all within the first ball of the third over. This was the momentum Hope needed as he seemed to be a man who could just get a home in India after this tour.

While Axar was able to end the partnership, Hope found the perfect partner in Shimron Hetmyer, who has made the No.3 spot his own for the West Indies. The duo ensured that West Indies got 79 runs in the powerplay, their highest in the first six overs against India.

The onslaught continued as Hetmyer laid into Axar and Hope joined in the fun as the duo took down Naman Dhir for 19 runs in his only over of the game.

But the issue here was one that Bharat Arun had raised a couple of days ago during an interaction. The Indian bowling has the skill, yet fitness and understanding of the conditions were the issue for the side.

While Hetmyer did fall soon enough, the difference in moods of both teams was visible. An animated Gambhir was deep in discussion with his side while Sammy enjoyed a couple of slices of guava.

Rovman Powell, who hadn’t enjoyed the best of times during the tour, allowed India to sneak in a few tight overs, but Hope was not ready to lose out on his golden touch.

He reached his fifty off 27 balls with a six, going level with Chris Gayle for the most number of 50-plus scores for the West Indies.

This is when Powell changed gears, taking down Axar for a couple of boundaries and six, and then Hope added the finishing touch to it as 150 came up within the 12th over.

Arshdeep then showed a bit of control amongst the chaos as he was able to dismiss Powell by constantly bowling yorkers outside off.

But the firing squad from the Windies didn’t seem to have an end at this point as Sherfane Rutherford arrived and quickly got himself in and started to tee off.

He and Hope tore into Mayank, whose day started with a lot of promise but ended with him conceding 52 runs in four overs. Probably, this was the time when India would have thought if they should have gone with Kuldeep Yadav in the mix.

Nitish Kumar Reddy came to bowl in the 14th over with no real impact, conceding 39 in his three. The final one from the all-rounder saw Hope hit a couple of sixes to get to another hundred in the tour. His fourth across two formats and the second of the series.

SAMSON DAZZLES BUT REST STUCK IN 1ST GEAR

As Samson came on to bat in Hyderabad, it seemed like there was a point to prove for the wicketkeeper-batter. Apart from the 82 he scored in Ranchi, the series was a bit too silent for him.

He and Abhishek, as a pair, didn’t set the stage on fire. So, Samson took the onus on himself to take apart the bowling. He started slow, but then changed gears during the second over against Shamar Joseph, hitting a couple of sixes.

Then he tore into Roston Chase, the most economical bowler in the series, hitting him for 25. Suddenly, the Hyderabad boy Abhishek seemed to be left chasing shadows.

Samson got to his fifty in 20 balls as India scored 60 off four overs. But this is where the difference between the Indian and Windies bowlers were on show.

The Indian bowlers were able to have the first crack on the new track and yet failed to use the variable bounce to their advantage. But Keemo Paul was able to do this in his very first over, getting rid of Samson and Ishan Kishan in the same over.

On the other side, Abhishek looked to be a shell of himself. Outside the powerplay, the southpaw scored just 8 off 8 balls as India got to 80 in the first six.

But from that point, the Windies bowlers hunted as a pack, using the bouncer to good effect and the slower ones as well. Shreyas returned to the pavilion soon and barring a few big hits, Abhishek looked unconvincing in the middle.

Soon enough, having a varierty of bowling options came to the aid of Hope. He threw the ball to Gudakesh Motie and the spinner delivered the magic spark his side needed.

He picked up Abhishek and Naman off consecutive deliveries, and India were in big trouble. Hyderabad boys Tilak and Nitish came together to keep India in the hunt.

They were able to keep India in the run chase with timely boundaries and some smart running. But the equation needed one big over and Nitish was able to get it from Shamar’s second.

He got a couple of sixes and the equation was 59 off 24 balls. Another six from Tilak and suddenly the score at that point was level, giving the fans hope.

But Shepherd delivered a timely wicket as Tilak departed. Springer came in to seal the deal, conceding five runs in the 18th over.

Nitish kept fighting, but Paul was able to get him and then clean up Prince Yadav with a slower delivery as the win was sealed. He completed his five-wicket haul with the scalp of Axar to cap off a memorable day.

In the end, Arshdeep was struck on his bowling arm in the final over to close the game and add to the worries of the Indian think tank.

– Ends

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