2nd ODI: Prasidh Krishna stars as India take unbeatable series lead against West Indies

Bowlers shine as India defend 237 to pocket one-day series 2-0Let's have more of things please. A 50-50 pitch with bounce and grass. A side losing the toss and struggling to score 237. The other trying to make the most of it to chase it down but falling short. The fielding captain using attacking and imaginative fields, manoeuvring his bowlers and protecting his part-timer. SCORECARD | AS IT HAPPENEDThe monotonous ODI game, so influenced by T20 cricket and tall scores, got a booster in the form of the second ODI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. For the record, India won the contest by 44 runs, thanks to an inspired spell of 4/12 in nine overs from the tall Prasidh Krishna. To use an abused cliché, cricket was the real winner.

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It is no secret that people in the Indian set up rate Prasidh Krishna. Former bowling coach Bharat Arun, ex-skipper Virat Kohli, former coach Ravi Shastri and current white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma all have only good things to say about him.

The result meant that India pocketed another bilateral series win at home and another one against West Indies (their 11th in succession), against whom they have not lost a series since 2006. It was also the 11th time in 17 games that Windies failed to bat out 50 overs.

Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur struck in quick succession in the end overs by banging the ball short to dismiss the well-set Fabian Allen and Akeal Hossein, who looked threatening during their 42-run seventh-wicket alliance. After that the contest came down to whether power-hitter Odean Smith could launch against the spin of Washington Sundar and Deepak Hooda. But Sundar's floaty off-spin in the 45th over caused