Stokes fuels England charge to 350

Innings break England 350 for 7 (Root 78, Roy 73, Stokes 62) v India
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England’s ODI transformation

Half-centuries of varying tempo from Jason Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes took England to a formidable total in the first ODI in Pune. They raised the bar significantly on the 304 that secured Australia a 72-run win on the ground in its only previous ODI in 2013 and despite the small boundaries – which England cleared 11 times – India’s batsmen face a stiff ask under lights.

Stokes, with the fastest fifty by an Englishman against India, provided a high-velocity finish to the innings that saw 105 runs flow from the last eight overs, as England posted their highest ODI total in India – surpassing the 338 that secured them a tie in Bangalore at the 2011 World Cup. Only twice have India chased as many, again during their 2013-14 series with Australia.

Virat Kohli, in his first match as India’s permanent ODI captain, wanted to bat second but probably not against this many, even if dew does make it harder for the bowlers. England attacked, as expected, initially through Roy’s classy innings but then threatened to subside after the dismissal of Root for 78 in the 42 over. Stokes hit the pedal in response, going from 14 off 19 to a 33-ball fifty in a starburst of sixes, including one extraordinary uppercut off a no-ball full toss.

Root took his time to adjust, contributing 19 to a second-wicket stand of 69 with Roy, then adding 49 with Eoin Morgan, back to lead England after opting out of the tour to Bangladesh. Root was most content to deal in dabs and deflections, although did clear the ropes with a lofted sweep off Ravindra Jadeja after reaching his fifty, from 72 balls. Jos Buttler also struck Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh, playing his first ODI in more than three years, for sixes down the ground but then slapped Hardik Pandya to mid-off trying to lift the scoring.

Root and Buttler had added 63 together and, at 220 for 4 in the 38th over, they had the desired platform. England played the spinners intelligently, with only Jadeja taking a wicket, and although Root dragged a slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah to long-on, Stokes’ full-blooded approach meant India’s quicks were unable to block up the innings at the death, either.

This England one-day side have come to India as both a curiosity and a threat. Their pumped-up approach has made them the fastest-scoring side in ODIs since a dismal showing at the 2015 World Cup and subject of genuine interest in a country that knows more about limited-overs success than most – and one where England have tended to fail in coloured clothing.

Some of that spark was provided by England’s daring run to the final of last year’s World T20 in India. Roy was one of the stars of that show and he continued to show a liking for the conditions after Kohli chose to insert England. Roy’s first boundary was off a thick outside edge to third man and his second an uppish drive that flew somewhat fortunately through the covers, but then he was away, driving and flicking crisply to give the innings its early impetus.

He had four boundaries and 18 from 12 balls when given out lbw by umpire CK Nandan, only for DRS to show the ball was missing leg stump. Roy’s endeavour had allowed Alex Hales to settle in, as is his preferred method, but the partnership was broken on 39. Hales was slow to come back for a second, despite it being Roy who had to run to the danger end, and Bumrah’s flat throw from deep-backward square leg caught him millimetres short.

Roy’s blade continued to flash. Four fours in eight ball, the pick a beautifully timed straight drive off Bumrah, took him to a 36-ball half-century as England ended the opening Powerplay on 67 for 1 (Roy with 52 of them). Then came the challenge of spin.

Root’s first boundary came via an impudent reverse-ramp past MS Dhoni’s helmeted head but Jadeja and R Ashwin – both rested for the previous ODI series against New Zealand – settled into a groove. Roy nearly fell on 66, when Umesh Yadav could not hold a tough chance above his head at short third man, but was finally removed in the following over, walking past a non-turning delivery from Jadeja to be stumped.

Morgan had also missed his side’s last outing and came into his first ODI since England lost to Pakistan at Cardiff in September having made scores of 3 and 0 in the warm-ups. After watchfully accruing four off 12 balls, he struck the first six of the innings, slog-sweeping over midwicket as Ashwin’s spell turned expensive, but just when he appeared set for some steady middle-overs accumulation a thin edge behind – undetected by the umpire but confirmed by DRS – ended his stay.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo