The series-opener against West Indies will be historic 1000th ODI for India.
Long Read: India’s 1000 one-dayers, one decade at a time
The 50-over has lost some of its old pomp and pride, but it remains a format close to the heart and history of the country’s emergence as a cricketing force, financially and sportingly. The history of this format runs in parallel with the comeuppance of India. In the onslaught of T20s and IPL, a renewed attention on Test cricket, it might no longer be the favourite format, but few incarnations of the game have rolled out as many memorable moments as this format in its heyday, or the chills and the thrills. A short history through the eyes and lives of those that have played in different eras.
BABY STEPS (1974-1979) Synopsis: India stutters and stumbles as they grapple with the ways of the new format. Played: 13, Won: 2; Lost: 11
Three years after the accidental birth of one-day international cricket, India, the future cradle of this format, made baby steps into the unknown. There, though, was no sense of history-making or excitement, or a sense of foreboding that the format was to change the landscape of the game in the country, for most of the eleven debutants. “Looking back, and compared to the boys now, we were naive,” says Madan Lal, then just a 23-year-old overzealous youngster.
There were graver concerns, for both the country and its cricket team. After mounting expectations before the series, they stumbled to a 3-0 defeat in Tests and worse of all, were skittled out for their then lowest Test score of 42. While they were still in England, there was tumult back home. Vijay Balla, a giant bat erected in memory of India’s series wins in England and West Indies in 1971 were defaced by tar in Indore. Soon upon landing, captain Ajit Wadekar lost his captaincy, whereupon he retired. The nation, meanwhile, was descending into a state of Emergency.
There, though, was curiosity. From the outside, it looked like a compressed Test match. They laid plans accordingly, before their leap into the dark at Leeds in June 1974. A brief and rough plan was sketched. “How do you prepare for a format you haven’t played? Or even watched. The general approach was that we would bowl as normal, but start playing attacking shots a bit earlier than in the Test matches. There were a few more men near the ropes, but at the same time slip-fielders and other catchers. More than batting and bowling, we struggled in setting fields,” he remembers.
For first-timers, they batted with stoic clarity. In the first game, they compiled a modest 265 in 54.3 overs (of 55 overs), powered by Brijesh Patel’s 78-ball 82. But they could not contain England with the ball. “We got a taste of the format and we liked it. Obviously, we had to trial and error to be successful in a new format. We knew that the more we played, the better we would get in this format,” Lal recounts. [READ FULL STORY]
India's Deepak Hooda, left and Suryakumar Yadav score runs during the first one day international cricket match against West Indies in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Things were really clear, he (Hooda) has played a lot of domestic cricket, so he knew the situation really well. So we were having little conversations and setting little goals (in our partnership). His confidence was spot on though. Loving with how things are going right now, I'm enjoying my time in the nets as well. Deepak just told me a few things, asked me to play the flick shot towards the mid-wicket region, the one I play in IPL. But I wanted to remain not out. It was difficult for the bowlers to grip the ball due to the dew. It was a little slower in the afternoon, but it became easier for the batters with the dew settling in.
Just a matter of time before India wraps this up. And it has taken them just 28 overs. And it's a 4. All over. India seals the victory. Take 1-0 lead in the series.
India just 11 runs off victory and the lead now. The last over yielded 6 runs. Will this one be the final over? SKY and Hooda are content on taking singles to keep the scoreboard ticking. IND 170/4.
Edge and India are riding their luck. Hooda looks to drive on the up but it straightens and runs away fine off a thick edge. India very very close. 157/4 after 24 overs.
That's another four by Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar glances and it's another easy boundary. Escapes to fine leg. That's 150 up for India. IND 151/4 after 22 overs.
Welcome to international cricket Deepak Hooda. What a shot. That's excellent timing by the debutant for a four. 9 off the 20th over. India comfortable. IND 137/4 after 20 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav has taken it upon himself to ruin West Indies' moment of happiness now. That's two back to back boundaries for him. Hosein is just getting hit all over the park by SKY. 10 off this over. IND 128/4 after 19 overs.
And the bizarreness continues. Very very unfortunate for Pant. It was extremely straight from Surya and it gets a nick of the bowler's boot while Pant was out of his crease at the non-striker's end. That's number 4 down. IND 116/4.
India are 3 down as Kishan is the one to depart now. Straight to deep backward square leg and the fielder makes no mistake. Won't really matter in the long run but that's an opportunity missed by the young batter. IND 115/3 after 16.4 overs.
What a smart shot by Kishan. Superb presence of mind. That's all the way over the boundary for a six. Stayed inside the line and guided it over the keeper and it went all the way. That's another 4 by Pant in the same over. Off drive and straight to the midoff boundary. India are chugging along nicely. IND 113/2 after 16 overs.
It's more of the same for West Indies now. Virat Kohli has come to the crease and has carried on marauding runs. Two back to back fours to start and he reaches 5000 ODI runs in India. And gone!! He is caught out. What an unusual innings from Kohli. Pulls one and that's 2 big wickets for Joseph. IND 93/2.
And is this gone? West Indies think it is. So does the umpire. And India review. Looks very close. The review is gone and the on field decision stands. Rohit is gone. Great innings. IND 84/1 after 13.1 overs.
It's just boundaries after boundaries by Rohit. Most of them has been perfectly placed and this one isn't different. It's a sweep now. He is showcasing every shot that he has in his quiver now. 7 off the over. IND 84/0 after 13 overs.
And that's 50 for Indian skipper Rohit Sharma. What a knock this has been. It's been that easy for the captain and for India. And that's another 4 down the ground. This is just one-way traffic now. IND 77/0 after 12 overs.
50 up for India in the last over and this over begins with a 4. West Indies players do not know which way to look. Pulled to deep square leg. And another one is poked towards the boundary. And that's a 6. What a pull shot off the front foot. Rohit is batting at 46 now. Just a matter of time before he reaches 50. IND 67/0 after 10 overs.
India are making this run chase too easy. This delivery from Roach has been nonchalantly lofted over the infield by Rohit for another 4. He is dealing in boundaries at the moment. And another. And that's another lofted shot. Dances down the track and this one is gone for another 4. IND 48/0 after 8 overs.
That's another four. Quick hands and this one has raced to the boundary as well. The West Indies are leaking runs at the moment. Kishan is taking taking full advantage of a West Indies attack which appears toothless. IND 40/0 after 7 overs.
Kishan gets in on the act and a short ball ny Holder is punished for a four. Waits and muscles the pull shot through mid-wicket. And the last ball of the over gets another four. This time from Rohit. Again a perfectly timed shot. India cruising along. IND 35/0 after 6 overs.
Too straight again and that's punished for a 4 by Rohit. A flick on the leg-side and there's no stopping that. Poor from Roach but India won't be complaining. IND 26/0 after 5 overs.