Hyderabad: India bounced back from the humiliation of losing both the Test and One-Day series in England this summer to record a thumping 126-run victory over England at a packed Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad yesterday.
Having posted an imposing 300 for seven, which captain M.S. Dhoni later described as a total that exceeded his expectations, the Indian bowlers dismissed the visitors for 174 in 36.1 overs.
"We batted well and we got 50 runs more than we needed," said Dhoni who led from the front with a top score of 87 not out. "I think that made all the difference.
Dhoni's 87 off only 70 balls boosted his injury-ravaged team's confidence after he won the toss and chose to bat on a sluggish wicket.
England, fresh from their overwhelming success over India at home, did not measure up despite captain Alastair Cook's top score of 60.
England lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs after being comfortably placed at 111-2 in the 23rd over. Left-arm spinner Ravinda Jadeja and off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed three wickets each and seamer Umesh Yadav claimed two in front of 25,000 delighted home fans.
Dhoni's men had been blanked 4-0 in the Test series and 3-0 in the One-Dayers on their recent tour of England.
India, playing their first international at home since the World Cup triumph in April, were without star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and at least six other regulars, due to injury or poor form. The hosts defended the total with a new-look bowling attack in which three specialists, Vinay Kumar, Yadav and Ashwin, had played only 25 One-Dayers between them before yesterday's match.
Top order contained
England were reduced to 40-2 by the 10th over before Cook and Jonathan Trott (26) put on 71 for the third wicket.
Jadeja turned the match around by removing both batsmen in successive overs, Cook holing out in the deep and Trott being bowled to make England 120-4.
The tourists slipped further to 134-7 as Ashwin dismissed Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan and Jadeja took care of the highly-rated Jonathan Bairstow.
Yadav bowled Graeme Swann and Samit Patel, before Ashwin signalled India's emphatic win by shattering the stumps of last man Jade Dernbach.
Earlier, Suresh Raina made 61 off 55 balls and added 72 for the fifth wicket with Dhoni after India were reduced to 123-4 by the 29th over.
Jadeja chipped in with 27 off 22 balls at the end as India hammered 91 runs in the last 10 overs.
England's bowlers contained the top order despite the absence of pace spearhead James Anderson, who was rested for the five-match series, and the injured Stuart Broad. The second One-Dayer will be played in New Delhi on Monday.
