The Holkar Stadium pitch in Indore was certainly batsmen-friendly, but not so friendly that even a total of around 250 could be posted with ease.
India found that out first on Sunday, managing 223 despite Abhishek Sharma's blitzkrieg, which had taken them to 87/1 at the end of the Powerplay. But fortunately for India, their bowlers this time cut down on the freebies — there was no dew either — to restrict the Windies to 209/7, ensuring a 14-run win for the hosts.
With this win, India lead the five-match series 2-1.
Given how the West Indies have chased down high scores in their ongoing tour, India would certainly have liked at least another 25-30 runs more to their total. The smaller size of the ground was in favour of the batters. That said, unlike the featherbeds in Lucknow and Ranchi, the ball kept a little low at times on this Indore wicket if the quicks were able to hit the right length.
Relentless six-hitting wasn’t easy on this surface, which the explosive Windies batsmen too found out during the chase. Also, the result underlines how useful Abhishek’s innings upfront was, especially after India had lost Sanju Samson in the second over to Shamar Joseph’s bowling.
Yes, the left-hander was facilitated by some extremely poor bowling, especially from Keemo Paul and Shamar Springer in the Powerplay overs. But to his credit, Abhishek also made good use of the extra pace of Joseph and hit him for boundaries as the pacer tried the leg-stump yorker line to keep the India opener quiet.
The manner in which Abhishek was dictating terms, and with able support from Ishan Kishan at the other end, India looked set to post 250 or even more. But in the ninth over, Roston Chase, following up on his impressive bowling on a belter in Ranchi, accounted for both Ishan and captain Shreyas Iyer.
Much to the relief of the Windies, Springer picked up the prized scalp of Abhishek with a short ball in the very next over.
India's innings started losing its tempo thereafter. The situation, though, could still have been better for India if not for the weird dismissal of Tilak Varma.
In the fourth ball of the 17th over, Axar Patel hit one in the deep. Thinking he had earned a boundary, Axar paused midway on the pitch for a brief chat with Tilak, only to realise that the fielder, Kamil Pooran, had somehow managed to prevent the ball from going to the boundary.
Axar had managed to make his ground, but Tilak was far from the non-striker’s end, and Gudakesh Motie showed good presence of mind to take the bails off. India’s innings comprised only eight sixes, with five of them coming off Abhishek’s blade.
To talk of India's bowlers, Mayank Yadav, who completed his quota of four overs this time, and Prince Yadav (replacing Kuldeep Yadav) bowled few loose balls, while Arshdeep struck with the key wickets of both in-form batters, skipper Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford.
Dismissing Hope early in the second over of the chase, Arshdeep delivered with the wickets of both Paul and Rutherford in the 18th over, which put paid to the Windies' hopes. "It was nice bowling with the dry ball. The ball was reversing a bit, and it's always fun to bowl at the death with some reverse swing," Arshdeep, adjudged Player of the Match, said.
The visitors, though, missed the services of finisher Romario Shepherd due to a niggle.