Twitter Reactions: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and a fearless Shardul Thakur guide India to series triumph

The final ODI between India and West Indies kept everyone at the edge of their seats. The packed house at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack was treated to a cliffhanger. The pendulum swung quite a few times, but in the end, Team India won by four wickets to seal the series 2-1. Kieron Pollard and Co would be disappointed that they let India off the hook after getting them on the mat.

Pollard and Pooran bashes India bowlers

India have been a dominant side while chasing and it wasn’t a surprise that the hosts elected to field first. But the Caribbean openers, Evin Lewis (21) and Shai Hope (42) made a steady start, putting on 57 for the first wicket. Ravindra Jadeja gave India their first moment of joy, dismissing Lewis. A few overs later, Mohammed Shami castled Hope, who was starting to look ominous, hitting five fours.

Shimron Hetmyer (38) and Roston Chase (37) perished to Navdeep Saini in quick succession after stitching a 52-run stand. From there on, Kieron Pollard (74*) and Nicholas Pooran (89) upped the ante and put on 135 for the fifth wicket off 100 balls. Shardul Thakur got rid of Pooran, but Pollard went bonkers at the death and guided the visitors to 315, hitting three fours and seven huge sixes.

Virat Kohli shines in yet another run-chase

The hosts started the run-chase on a positive note, courtesy a 122-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma (63) and KL Rahul (77). Jason Holder struck first blood, nipping out Rohit in the 22nd over. A few overs later, it was Alzarri Joseph’s turn to remove Rahul. Keemo Paul joined the party and pinned Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli notched a half-century off 51 balls.

Sheldon Cottrell piled on more agony for India with Kedar Jadhav’s wicket. After the mini-collapse, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja (39*) restored sanity, adding 58 for the sixth wicket. But Paul delivered a body blow, castling Virat, who ended with 85 off 81. Shardul Thakur played a bit of blinder and got a 6-ball-17 runs with two fours and a six, helping India chase the target with eight balls to spare.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the humdinger in Cuttack: –

Congratulations @BCCI for winning the series.. it’s been a good series.. top class batting from @ImRo45 @klrahul11 @imVkohli @imjadeja and apna thakur @imShard West Indies seems like getting better everyday congratulations @KieronPollard55 nd team for playing brilliantly 👌✅

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 22, 2019

Congratulations #team 🇮🇳 India on the series win !! Well fought series by the Windies !! #Ind Vs WI.

— Mithun Manhas 🇮🇳 (@MithunManhas) December 22, 2019

So what if he wasn't not out till the end, @imVkohli still played a very fine innings in ensuring a decisive win. 10 series against West Indies! Well played Team India.#INDvsWI #INDvWI #INDvWIN pic.twitter.com/uLageduVCj

— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) December 22, 2019

Why are some of these commentators being so arrogant??

It might come back to bite your team…. being openly so disrespectful towards the Windies bowlers 😯

Therz a difference between being aggressive and disrespecting your opponents!#INDvsWI #StayHumble

— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) December 22, 2019

Hard fought series win by team India this.big gain this series #rahul and middle order batting. Well tried #WestIndies #indvswi

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 22, 2019

Sir Ricky Shardul ponting Tendulkar thakur take a bow

— AKki (@CrickPotato) December 22, 2019

Wel played @windiescricket. They had given a run of money to India in 2018 and did the same this year.

— Johns (@CricCrazyJohns) December 22, 2019

India beat West Indies by 4 wickets to win the ODI series by 2-1. No individual centuries yet we chased 315. Great team work and a good surprise package by Shardul Thakur. Congrats Team India 👏🙌🇮🇳 #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/nThoIKFKcm

— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) December 22, 2019

#INDvsWI pic.twitter.com/Dgv3BVslXd

— Sunil- the cricketer (@1sInto2s) December 22, 2019

The decider that Shardul won with the bat – wish it had come earlier in the year. #INDvWI

— Manya (@CSKian716) December 22, 2019

Fabulous run chase by India. Among best I’ve seen in, more so as stiff target wasn’t achieved by 1 or 2 players. Rohit, Rahul, Virat, Jadeja, Thakur all made significant contributions. West Indies competed hard but India just that shade better. Well played!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 22, 2019

CSK guys saving India from a defeat. Some things never change.

— Divyanshu (@MSDivyanshu) December 22, 2019

"If I was to think about Kohli getting out, it would have been a lot of pressure. Instead I thought I have a set batsman at the other end."

– Shardul Thakur#INDvWI

— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) December 22, 2019

Loved @imShard interview. Well played Shardul , you were superb! #INDvsWI

— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) December 22, 2019