#1 Kedhar Jadhav 120 (76 balls, 12 fours, 4 sixes) vs England,1st ODI, Pune, Jan 15th
With a mammoth total of 351 to chase, the Indian cricket team was put in a position to bother by the England pace duo Ben Stokes and DJ Willey. The team was in dire straits after losing 4 wickets for just 63 runs before captain Virat Kohli was joined by local boy Kedar Jadhav. Kedar, who was expected to support the skipper, ended up doing much more. His quickfire century helped the required run rate to be under control, thus helping India reach the target comfortably in the end. Calling the innings as a splendid one, Kohli himself stated that some of the shots played by Kedhar Jadhav were unbelievable.
#3 MS Dhoni 132 (122 balls, 10 fours, 6 sixes) vs England, 2nd ODI, Cuttack, Jan 19th
This is what we say “Rewinding a clock”. Leading the three-match series by 1-0, the Virat army was very excited to seal it. England, on the other hand, had other plans when they reduced the hosts to 25-3 within 5 overs. The hopes were bleak when MS Dhoni joined Yuvraj Singh out in the centre. But boy-oh-boy! What followed was something special. Taking us back to the yesteryears, the duo forged a special partnership of 256 runs as they piled on the agony for the visitors.
Yuvraj Singh, playing his first series in more than three years had to make a statement of his potential. And by getting his career best of 150 at a much needed time, the stylish southpaw once again proved his mettle.
“Why Dhoni was still taking up a place in the XI, despite being unsure about playing the next World Cup?”, questioned the critics. Well, after this innings they might have understood the need of MSD in the team. How many has he been a lone warrior for the team? Delivering once again when the team needed him the most, the former skipper played a key role in India registering a memorable victory.
#4 Hardik Pandya 76 ( 43 balls, 4 fours, 6 sixes) vs Pakistan, ICC Champions Trophy, Final, London, 18th June
The stakes were high, the expectations were huge, but the result was, unfortunately, disappointing for over a billion Indians. The men in blue lost the final of the ICC Champions Trophy to arch-rivals Pakistan who was, quite clearly, a better team on the day.
An innings that stood out as the only beaming light in the match for India,came from the bat of Hardik Pandya..He came in a hopeless situation when India was 72-6 ( 16.6 overs) chasing a daunting 339. The all-rounder, much to the delight of the Indian contingent, took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers as he took them to the cleaners over after over.
#5 Bhuvneshwar Kumar 53* ( 80 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, Kandy, 24th August
From 131-7, chasing a modest 231 for victory, MS Dhoni needed some support from the tailenders to take India home. And Bhuvneshwar Kumar, in the course of a record-breaking eighth-wicket partnership of 100, certainly did prove to be the support MS and India desperately needed. The right-arm pacer ably faced the Lankan bowlers and helped the Indian cricket team sail to safe waters.
#6 Virat Kohli 131 (96 balls, 17 fours, 2 sixes) vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Colombo, 31st August
How could the run machine not be on the list? Virat Kohli had a fantabulous2017 and his stats prove the same. One of his many scintillating knocks this year came against Sri Lanka at Colombo. Blazing away with some sublime shots right from the start of the innings, he seemed unstoppable. The Indian skipper, en route his flawless 131 off 76 balls, mauled the bowlers and made them apper clueless.
#7 Rohit Sharma 208 ( 153 balls, 13 fours, 12 sixes) vs Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, Chandigarh, 13th December
Here comes the superlative knock on the list: Ro’Hit’ Sharma. Losing the first match, in a three-match series, the captain had to deliver something special to lead the Indian cricket team from the front. And good heavens didn’t he deliver!
He studded his crown with another jewel as he became the only batsman in the history of the game to score three double centuries in ODIs. So frenetic was the pace of the final third of Rohit’s innings that he scored more than half of his unbeaten 208 in the last 10 overs. In fact, the “hitman” pummeled the islanders as he managed a strike rate of 341 in his last 27 balls. By the way, if this wasn’t enough, do the math to be awestruck! 😉
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