Visakhapatnam: India spinner Kuldeep Yadav Wednesday said bowling in the dew was a big problem as the thrilling second ODI against the West Indies ended in a tie here.
India put up 321 for six with Virat Kohli (157) surpassing Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest player to reach 10000 runs in one-day internationals.
West Indies then rode Shai Hope’s unbeaten century and Shimron Hetmyer’s 64-ball 94 to level the scores at the YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium. “It was very difficult to bowl in the dew, the square was quick and there the ball was wet. I was having difficulty gripping the ball. But you have to consider these situations, we need to practice a lot,” Kuldeep told reporters at the post-match press conference.
The chinaman bowler was India’s most successful, returning figures of three for 67. He said skipper Kohli told him to just bowl in the good areas and contain the runs. Kuldeep, who was not played in the first ODI, defended the team’s seamers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, who were wayward in both the matches.
“Considering the situation they were in at one point when they were cruising, we are happy as a bowling unit. With the dew also there, I think we did a good job.”
Asked about the move to bat first, risking the dew factor to avoid more turn in the second innings, Kuldeep said the wicket was to slow down batting second. The spinner lavished praise on Hetmyer, who carried on from where he left in the first game.
“Hetmyer was playing brilliantly, it was very difficult to bowl to him. I was trying to contain him, was really on to him and trying to get him out. He was not comfortable against me but a couple of sixes he hit changed the course,” Kuldeep said. The bowler dismissed Hetmyer, who smashed a 78-ball 106 in the series opener, three times in the preceding two-match Test series.
Chasing 322 to win at the start of innings and five off the last ball, Hope cut India seamer Umesh Yadav for a boundary through point to level the scores. “Last ball I knew a wide yorker was coming at the end, and I had to get bat on the ball. I didn’t get enough bat but it was enough,” Hope told reporters.
This was Hope’s second century in this form of the game, the unbeaten 123-run knock coming at a crucial juncture. Hope joined forces with Shimron Hetmyer after West Indies lost three wickets and added 143 runs for the fourth wicket to keep his team in the hunt.
However, first game centurion Hetmyer (94) got out with the visitors still requiring 101 runs in 18 overs. “There was a change in approach after that (Hetmyer’s dismissal). We needed to take the innings deep,” Hope said. Speaking about batting with Hetmyer, he said, “It’s pretty different with him, he likes to keep the scoreboard ticking. As long as we take it to the last five overs, we knew we stood a chance.”
Asked about the knock, he said, “Definitely, such knocks improve your confidence. You have to gain after every innings. It was a matter of time before I got a big score. We just need to be more consistent as a team.”