Yuvraj brilliance as Pietersen’s England side is given another one-day lesson
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ENGLAND’S formula for one-day success was brutally exposed for a second successive match with Yuvraj Singh producing another dominant display to secure an emphatic 54-run victory for India in Indore.
Just three days after demonstrating his explosive stroke-play to hit an unbeaten 138 and help secure a 158-run victory in Rajkot, Yuvraj provided evidence of his allround skills by performing with bat and ball.
His 118 off 122 balls helped India recover from a perilous 29 for three to reach a commanding 292 for nine and then his underrated left-arm spin exposed England’s technique on turning pitches to claim four for 28 as the tourists were dismissed for 238.
It was another stunning display by a player who has almost certainly done enough to earn a recall to India’s Test side next month as a replacement for the retired Sourav Ganguly.
By then India should also have secured a comfortable victory in the seven-match series having exposed major flaws in the game plan which proved so successful for England in beating South Africa 4-0 in vastly different conditions two months ago.
“Playing in England is a bit easier because the ball is seaming, swinging and bouncing,” said England captain Kevin Pietersen.
“Here it’s difficult but I’m not stupid enough to think it would be similar out here.”
It could have been so different had England built on a promising start, with Stuart Broad claiming three wickets in a five-over new-ball spell to leave India reeling on 29 for three as Yuvraj walked to the crease in the eighth over.
But for the second successive match Yuvraj played almost faultlessly, remaining patient to begin with before accelerating during a crucial partnership of 134 off 126 balls with opener Gautam Gambhir.
England’s decision to play an unchanged side and field only one spinner backfired badly as India progressed to another daunting total.
Even after Yuvraj finally fell with six overs remaining having hit 15 4s and two 6s, he had established a platform for allrounder Yusuf Pathan to hit an unbeaten 50 from 29 balls and help add 82 in the final 10 overs.
“We failed to capitalise on our start but then again when you’ve got a guy batting like Yuvraj Singh it’s pretty difficult,” said Pietersen. “He is a game-breaker.”
Brutal as their batting was, though, it was the examination by spin which underlined the vast gap in class between the two sides.
India delivered 27 overs of spin and claimed nine for 119.
