India rout West Indies 3-0 in ODI series: Key takeaways
The Indian cricket team routed the West Indies 3-0 in the three-ODI series on Wednesday. India claimed a 119-run win (DLS Method) in the rain-interrupted third ODI. Opener Shubman Gill laid the foundation of India's win with a 98*-run knock. Later, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took a four-wicket haul, helping India defend 225. Here are the key takeaways from the series.
India have now trumped the Windies in 12 consecutive bilateral series between 2007 and 2022. It is the most consecutive series wins against a side in ODIs. They broke the record of Pakistan, who clocked 11 successive series wins against Zimbabwe (1996-present). Team India has become the record holder for most back-to-back series wins against a rival.
India now have a 70-63 win-loss record against the Windies in 50-overs cricket (four no-results and two ties). The Men in Blue won the 2019 tour of WI by 2-0. India had won the 2017 tour by a 3-1 margin.
Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan and Gill fared well in the absence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul throughout the series. Gill was adjudged the Player of the Series, having finished as the leading run-scorer (205). He averaged a staggering 102.50 in the series. Meanwhile, Dhawan finished behind him with 168 runs. Notably, the duo added a century stand in the first and third ODIs.
Indian leg-spinner Chahal continues his dominance in white-ball cricket. He was the pick of India's bowlers in the final ODI, recording figures of 4/17 in four overs. Chahal emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the series (7) with pacer Shardul Thakur. The former, who has been India's go-to bowler in white-ball cricket, would want to replicate his run in the ICC T20 World Cup.
Top-order batter Shreyas Iyer also showed his class in the series. Iyer, who drew criticism for his poor technique against short balls, looked impressive in the Caribbean Islands. He registered scores of 54, 63, and 44 in the three ODIs, respectively. Iyer completed 500 runs against the Windies in the format. He now averages 56.33 against them (seven half-centuries).
There weren't many positives for the West Indies. A batting masterclass from Shai Hope in the second game was one of them. The WI opener cracked his 13th ODI century in the match. Moreover, Hope became only the 10th player to attain a hundred in their 100th match in 50-overs cricket. The right-hander bashed eight fours and three sixes (135-ball 115).
In the second game, Axar Patel helped India chase 312 by slamming his maiden ODI half-century. He hammered five sixes, the most by an India batter at number seven or lower in a successful ODI run-chase, breaking MS Dhoni's record. Axar also took a solitary wicket in the match. He fared well in the absence of India's mainstay all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja.
