Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 27: Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 139 while skipper Shubman Gill struck 110 as India defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium here on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

After the West Indies posted 295/7, Kuldeep Yadav's four-wicket haul helped India control the scoring in the middle overs. India then made light work of the chase as Rohit Sharma and Gill put on 74 runs for the opening wicket before Gill and Kohli added 151 to take the game away from the visitors.

Gill received a standing ovation after scoring 110 off 108 balls, his 10th ODI century, which included 13 fours and a six.

Kohli, meanwhile, became only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs. He remained unbeaten on 139 off 88 balls, hitting 10 fours and nine sixes, the most sixes he has struck in an ODI innings.

It was Kohli's 55th ODI century and 10th against the West Indies as India reached the target with 50 balls to spare.

Rohit drove the first delivery of the chase from Jayden Seales for four, setting the tone for India's pursuit. Gill was dropped on 11 at cover-point, while the West Indies wasted a review on an lbw appeal against Rohit. The India opener then slashed the next delivery over sweeper cover for six.

Gill struck Alzarri Joseph for three fours in the eighth over and then lifted Gudakesh Motie over cover for six. Rohit pulled Motie for his third six as India reached 70/0 at the end of the powerplay.

Joseph eventually made the breakthrough in the 12th over after moving deep square leg slightly straighter. Rohit miscued a whip to the fielder and departed for 32, marking the fourth time Joseph had dismissed him in ODIs.

Kohli got off the mark with a top-edged pull over the wicketkeeper for six. Gill brought up his half-century off 49 balls as dew began to settle. With Justin Greaves off the field due to a shin problem, West Indies skipper Shai Hope was left with only five frontline bowling options.

Kohli reached his fifty from 40 balls before taking Joseph for three consecutive fours in the 29th over. The second boundary of the sequence saw him become the fastest men's batter to reach 15,000 ODI runs, crossing the landmark after Tendulkar.

Gill completed his century at the beginning of the 31st over, driving Seales through the field.

Kohli's pulled six off Roston Chase in the 34th over brought up the 150-run partnership, but Gill fell three deliveries later while attempting a slog sweep to deep midwicket.

With Ruturaj Gaikwad unbeaten on 13 providing support, Kohli danced down the track and lofted Motie over long-on for six to reach his century off 74 balls. It was his third-fastest ODI hundred and his 60th century in List A cricket.

Kohli was dropped on 125 by Keemo Paul, but there was no further reprieve for the West Indies. He finished the chase in style, whipping Keacy Carty over deep backward square leg for six before sealing the victory with another maximum over fine leg.

Earlier, Justin Greaves struck a fluent 101 off 108 balls, while John Campbell and Amir Jangoo also made half-centuries to help West Indies reach 295/7.

Put into bat in stifling heat and humidity, West Indies raced to 85/0 in the powerplay as India's seamers struggled to find control.

Greaves was particularly severe on the pacers, scoring 56 off 55 balls against them with 10 fours, while the spinners restricted him to 44 off 53 deliveries.

Nitish Kumar Reddy conceded 18 runs in his first over, with Greaves hitting four boundaries, including one off a no-ball and another from the free hit. Gurnoor Brar nearly dismissed Greaves in the fourth over, but Rohit could only get his fingertips to an edge at wide slip.

Campbell immediately attacked Ravindra Jadeja when spin was introduced, hitting two sixes over long-on. Greaves cut debutant Naman Dhir for four in the 14th over to complete his half-century and bring up West Indies' first century opening stand against India since 2019.

Kuldeep broke the 135-run partnership in the 20th over when Campbell top-edged a sweep to short fine leg.

Keacy Carty struggled during his innings before lobbing Prasidh Krishna to mid-on in the 31st over. Kuldeep then had captain Shai Hope caught at backward point.

Greaves reached his maiden ODI century with a single through point but soon missed a sweep against a Kuldeep googly. India's review confirmed the ball would have crashed into the off stump.

On the next delivery, Jewel Andrew came forward to another googly from Kuldeep and edged it to Rohit at slip for a golden duck.

Roston Chase and Amir Jangoo then rebuilt the innings with a 50-run partnership before Prasidh bowled Chase for 24 in the 45th over.

Jangoo had earlier struck three fours off Prasidh in the 43rd over before hitting Gurnoor for two successive fours and a six to complete his second ODI fifty off 38 balls.

Nitish dismissed Matthew Forde in the final over, while Jangoo remained unbeaten on 58 off 43 balls.

The West Indies ultimately fell five runs short of 300, leaving India with a manageable target that Kohli and Gill dismantled in emphatic fashion.

Brief Scores: West Indies 295/7 in 50 overs (Justin Greaves 101, John Campbell 62; Kuldeep Yadav 4-40, Prasidh Krishna 2-60) lost to India 300/2 in 41.4 overs (Virat Kohli 139 not out, Shubman Gill 110; Roston Chase 1-64, Alzarri Joseph 1-81) by eight wickets.