STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsA white wash in the three-match T20I series against New Zealand, a white-wash in the three-match ODI series against West Indies and now a comprehensive win in the first T20I. Results are looking bright for India in the white ball format under Rohit Sharma.
After winning the toss and elected to field first, Bhuvneshwar Kumar started off the proceeding with a wicket in the first over. Despite Nicholas Pooran’s well-constructed 61 off 43 balls, West Indies' age-old problem of “hit-out or get-out'' haunted them. Apart from Kyle Mayers and Pooran none of their other batters scored over 25 or scored runs. The debutant Ravi Bishnoi, starred with two wickets for just 17 runs. All-in-all, West Indies could post just 157/7 in their full quota of 20 overs.
In reply, Rohit came out all cylinders firing. In the first six overs, India clubbed 58 runs out of which Rohit carted 38 runs at a strike rate of 237.5. The recent millionaire in the IPL auction Ishan Kishan, struggled to get going at the other end. After the dismissal of Rohit, India went through a minor stutter as they lost three quick wickets of Kishan, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. However, an unbeaten partnership of 48 off 26 for the fifth wicket helped India cross the ropes with six wickets in hand and take the lead in the series. Here are a few notable stats from the first T20I:
Bishnoi achieving heights at young age
With some bright performances in the 2021 season of the IPL, Bishnoi’s international debut didn’t look far away. Also, India without Ravindra Jadeja were in desperate search of another spinner with Yuzvendra Chahal.
There were few nervous moments for him at the start. Took a catch of Pooran and stepped on the boundary banner and three wides in his first over. But, those were put behind in his second over as he bounced with a two-wicket over. In his four overs spell, Bishnoi gave away just 17 runs that included only one boundary. His spell of 2/17 was the third best by an Indian spinner on debut. To highlight more, out of the 13 Indian bowlers who have taken two-plus wicket hauls on debut, Bishnoi at 21 years and 164 days, is the youngest.
Plenty of Extras
It was a clinical bowling performance that won the game for India. However, there was one are that India could have cut down and that was the extras. In this game, India conceded 17 extras, 11 wides and six leg-byes. Out of those 11, Bishnoi bowled six of those.
In a T20I innings, the 17 extras conceded by India is the third most in a home T20I. Twice, once against West Indies in 2018 in Chennai and against England in 2021 in Ahmedabad, they had conceded 20. Their most came against Sri Lanka in 2009 in Mohali when they had given away 24.
A new and dangerous Rohit
Off late, there has been a change in approach from Rohit at the start of the innings. If his form continues the same way, then India will be more than happy. In T20Is from 2015 till 2017, Rohit was striking at 125.5 at an average of 28.4 in the Powerplay overs (1-6). With a slight Improvement, from 2018 till 2020, Rohit was scoring at 136.5 at an average of 31.7 in this phase.
However, since 2021, he has been scoring at a strike rate of 158.8 and has averaged 74.3. In the first T20I, he scored 38 runs in the first six overs at a strike rate of 237.5, which is the best for him in a T20I innings in the first six overs.
Slow and rusty
With Kishan opening the innings, there was a lot of expectation on him to go gung-ho at the top. However, the roles seem to have changed as Rohit is turning out to be the aggressor. In the first ODI as well, Kishan struggled to get going against the West Indies.
In this match, after batting 42 balls, Kishan scored only 35 at a strike rate of 83.3. In his T20 career where he has batted for more than 30 balls, only once has he batted slower than this and it was against Bengal while playing for Jharkhand in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2014/15. To his worst, this innings also recorded the slowest innings for an Indian in T20Is (30+ score).
Rohit surpasses Asghar Afghan in terms of win/loss ratio
Rohit’s ability as a captain needs no introduction, five IPL titles is a testimony of his success as captain. Even in the international circuit, in the white-ball, his record is amazing. He has a win/loss ratio of 5.5 in the ODIs after captaining 13 matches. In the last 10 matches he has captained India, he has 100 percent win record.
In today’s match, with a six-wicket win, Rohit took his win/loss ratio to 4.75 in 23 T20Is. Among captains who have led their teams in 20+ matches, his win/loss ratio is at the top. He surpassed Asghar Afghan’s ratio of 4.666 in 53 matches.
Bishnoi shines on debut
After becoming the youngest debutant to pick two or more wickets amongst Indians, Bishnoi added another record to his name and enrolled in an elite list of Indian bowlers.
The young leg-spinner was adjudged man of the match for his sensational spell of 2/17. He became the sixth Indian bowler to receive the “Player of the Match” award on debut. Pragyan Ojha in 2009 against Bangladesh, Axar Patel in 2015 against Zimbabwe, Barinder Sran in 2016 against Zimbabwe, Navdeep Saini in 2019 against West Indies and Harshal Patel in 2021 against England are the other five bowlers to achieve this feat. In addition, he is the second youngest Indian in T20Is to bag a man of the match award after Rohit who bagged his first at the age of 20 years and 144 days.
