India Off To Quick Start Despite Parthiv’s Dismissal

Right, so Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane open the innings for India and Tim Bresnan for the English.

Bresnan had earlier sounded out that the English would be looking to whitewash the world champions in the ODIs as well, but he does not start off as well as he speaks. A wide down the leg-side and a four through the covers before he gets his line right.

Seven come from the first over in the end, which is a good improvement after the Indians had scored five after the first ball. Not too much swing, not as much as one saw in the Tests at least!

India: 7/0 after 1 over

Jade Dernbach, another of those South Africans who ply their trade for England, begins from the other end and is cracked, a la Sanath Jayasuriya style, over the covers field. Single follows, and as the cliché goes, smart cricket from the Mumbai cricketer.

The running between the wickets is a far cry from the Test matches. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the twos being converted into three as well. Dernbach, incidentally, ends the over with a slower ball – which speaks volumes about how the pitch could behave in the game.

India: 14/0 after 2 overs

Rahane seems to have come out with a plan; to smash every ball that is in his half to the fence. And to smash every ball that is not in his half as well. A swipe off a good length ball from Bresnan followed by a hook. The first one did not connect, the second one goes to the boundary!

Patel does not hold back either and top-edges a short ball over the slips to the fence. If someone were to tell me that this is a format the Indians like, I would barely be surprised.

India: 23/0 after 3 overs

Dernbach is out, captain Broad is in and is immediately flicked for a couple before Rahane unleashes the hook. Another boundary to the fine-leg and boy this guy can bat! Frenetic pace so far from the openers.

With quick running comes a run-out opportunity. Rahane was nearly out there, trying to take a cheeky single but is almost sold dummy by the non-striker. Broad misses and Rahane immediately flicks the next one to the square-leg fence. That had a touch of Virat Kohli and VVS Laxman in it as Rahae moves on to 22 and the Indians are haring away.

India: 34/0 after 4 overs

Dernbach replaces Bresnan from the other end and this time, it is a pull towards mid-wicket. Rahane is showing the full repertoire of his strokes on the leg-side – and he is packing some power. This is pleasantly surprising from India.

However, Patel, who had been deprived of the strike for some time now, gets out. A superbly disguised slower ball, hits the bat at the bottom and the ball loops up to mid-on where captain Broad takes a simple catch.

Rahul Dravid walks out for what will be his first and last T20I. Can he replicate his Test match form? Is hit on his gloves by a short Dernbach delivery that also allows him to open his account.

India: 40/1 after 5 overs