Twitter Reactions: Dhawan-Gill, bowlers rout Zimbabwe in series opener

India trampled Zimbabwe in the first match of the ODI series, subjecting them to an embarrassing ten-wicket defeat. The hosts were brought back to earth after their historic triumph against Bangladesh as the Indian batters made light work of Zimbabwe’s total, after some scintillating bowling display by the returning Deepak Chahar.

The Indian opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Shubhman Gill made a watchful start to the visitor’s chase and were largely untroubled at the crease by the docile Zimbabwe bowling attack. The openers compiled their third-century stand in the last four innings, going past their respective half-centuries during the chase.

Gill, who was slow to start off the blocks, took on the role of the aggressor once he got his eye in and played some eye-catching shots while his senior partner went about his business quietly.

Indian fast bowlers set up the win after bamboozling the Zimbabwe top order

Earlier in the innings, the returning KL Rahul opted to bowl first after winning the toss, with the surface slated to help the new ball bowlers, which it did to the demise of the hosts. Deepak Chahar, who was returning from a long injury lay-off, was erratic in his first few overs, but once he got his line right, the Zimbabwe batters had no answer to his exceptional deliveries.

The hosts were 25-0 but lost four wickets in the space of just six runs as the Indian bowling pair of Chahar and Mohammed Siraj wrecked their top order. The Zimbabwe innings was set to finish on an embarrassing total before their tailenders stitched up a counterattacking 70-run stand for the ninth wicket, their highest against India at that position, saving their blushes in the match.

Despite Richard Ngarava’s and Brad Evans’ late riposte, Zimbabwe finished with a below-par total of 189. Chahar enjoyed a brilliant outing on his return to action for the first time since February, grabbing three wickets. Prasidh Krishna and Axar Patel impressed as well as they ran through the hosts’ middle order, scalping three wickets each, while Siraj finished with a solitary wicket to his name.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: