Key takeaways from the second ODI between India and England
India took on England in the second ODI in Pune, aiming to clinch the series after winning the first round of the 3 match bout.
But on a flat pitch, a mammoth target of 337 proved to be too little for the mighty England batting lineup. The English trumped the Men in Blue with 6 wickets and 39 balls to spare.
Here are the 5 takeaways from the encounter in Pune.
KL Rahul is a sure shot starter in limited-overs cricket for India
The flamboyant Indian batsman scored a beautiful century and did his famous celebration, showing the doubters why he is so highly rated by his fans and cricket pundits all over the globe.
KL Rahul came in when the team lost early wickets and played a crucial knock which set the team up for a big total. This should be enough to silence the people who were demanding his ousting from Team India due to his poor form.
England's brand of fearless cricket works more often than not
Even though England failed to deliver in tests and T20Is, this fearless attacking brand of cricket is something that has made them an attractive team to watch. It has also made them a successful team, winning the T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup trophies in the recent past.
A lot of comments were being made about how this needs to change. But today's result is the proof of concept of the model on which they operate and they should not change this approach.
The Indian middle order finally looked solid
If you followed the 2019 ODI World Cup, there was a lot of buzz around the Indian middle order, especially the number 4 spot. The limited overs series against Australia and then England have shown that India's middle order is starting to settle down.
With a lot of time still remaining until the 2023 ODI World Cup, we should start seeing it solidify further.
Dew factor will always play a big role in Indian conditions
There was a considerable amount of dew on the ground which didn't help the bowlers cause in the second innings. So a flat wicket and the dew factor in Indian conditions make it easy for the team which is batting second to chase down targets.
If not for silly mistakes in the first match, England could have given India a run for their money.
The series decider will be a nail biting affair
After suffering defeats in the Test series and the T20 series, England will want to end their lackluster tour on a good note. India, on the other hand, will try to seal the deal and claim the bragging rights of winning in all three formats.
Even though both sides are missing seasoned campaigners, the young blood along with the experienced players will want to leave it all on the pitch in the final fixture of the tour.