India began their three-match ODI series against West Indies on a dominant note, cruising to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in the opening game at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The hosts successfully chased down 296 in just 41.4 overs, with centuries from Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli turning the contest into a one-sided affair. However, India’s victory had been set up earlier by an excellent bowling effort, with Kuldeep Yadav playing a key role in restricting the visitors.
Kuldeep Yadav reveals why he felt ‘awkward’ after receiving Player of the Match award
Kuldeep was named the Player of the Match after finishing with impressive figures of 4/40. However, the left-arm wrist-spinner admitted that he felt somewhat awkward receiving the award after watching the way Gill and Kohli dominated the chase. Speaking during the post-match presentation, Kuldeep specifically praised both batters for their performances and admitted that Kohli’s innings made him question whether he deserved the individual recognition.
“I actually loved the batting from Shubman and Virat bhai, it was a special inning from them. It feels awkward to receive the Man of the Match award, seeing the way Virat bhai batted, it was an outstanding inning,” Kuldeep said.
The spinner’s comments reflected how influential India’s batting performance was during the chase. While Kuldeep had made an impact with the ball, Kohli’s unbeaten knock ensured there was little drama once India began pursuing the target.
Also WATCH: IND vs WI – Kuldeep Yadav spins web around West Indies with four-for on ODI comeback
Kuldeep’s sensational bowling show powers India to big win
West Indies were asked to bat first and managed to post 295/7 on the board. Justin Greaves led their innings with his maiden ODI century, scoring 101, while John Campbell added 62 to give the visitors a competitive platform.
India, however, managed to prevent the West Indies batting unit from finishing with an even bigger total. Kuldeep was particularly effective through the middle overs, using his variations and control to break partnerships and restrict the scoring rate. The spinner eventually finished with 4/40, earning the Player of the Match award for his decisive contribution.
His spell provided India with the ideal platform before their top order took control of the chase. The hosts made a solid start before Gill and Kohli joined forces to completely shift the momentum in India’s favour. Gill scored a fluent 110 from 108 deliveries before being dismissed, while Kohli remained unbeaten on 139 off just 88 balls. The latter’s innings featured 10 fours and nine sixes as India raced towards the target.
The 151-run partnership between Gill and Kohli effectively ended West Indies’ hopes of defending their total. India eventually reached 296 in 41.4 overs with eight wickets in hand, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.