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Rohit, Rayudu propel India to mammoth 377/5 in fourth ODI

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Press Trust of India Mumbai

Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu struck belligerent centuries to guide India to a mammoth 377 for five against the West Indies in the penultimate fourth ODI of the five-match series here on Monday.

Rohit and Rayudu took centre stage after a rare failure by skipper Virat Kohli to power India to the imposing total.

Rohit's (162) 21st career century came off 137 balls with the help of 20 fours and four hits over the fence while Rayudu decorated his 100-run knock with eight boundaries and four sixes.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, India made a quick start with Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan (38) adding a run-a-ball 71 for the opening stand before the latter pulled a Keemo Paul short delivery straight to Kieran Powell at the midwicket boundary.

 

Kohli, who hit three consecutive tons before Monday's match, played aggressively for his 16 before edging a Kemar Roach delivery to Shai Hope behind the stumps with India reduced to 101 for two.

Thereafter, Rohit and Rayudu held fort and continued to play aggressive brand of cricket.

The duo continued the onslaught and made the West Indies attack look ordinary, picking up boundaries and sixes at will.

After Kohli's dismissal, Rohit, who had scored a match-winning unbeaten 152 in the lung-opener at Guhawati, and Rayudu took the onus on themselves to build the innings and in the process shared a breezy 211-run stand for the third wicket which came off just 163 deliveries to lay the foundation for the big score.

Rohit didn't spare a single West Indian bowler and made his intentions clear when he opened the account with a boundary over point.

Rohit initially played the second fiddle to Dhawan, but after his half century, that came off 60 balls, upped the ante.

Rohit displayed all shots in the book -- be it drives, pulls, flicks or cuts before he departed in the 44th over, after being caught by Chanderpaul Hemraj off Ashley Nurse.

Rayadu, on the other hand, took time to settle down, but later hammered the bowlers with his exquisite stroke-play -- first in Rohit's company and then along side veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23).

Kedar Jadhav (16) and Ravindra Jadeja (7) remained unbeaten as the hosts amassed 116 runs in the last 10 overs.

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First Published: Oct 29 2018 | 5:45 PM IST

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