Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma during their 110-run partnership, on Thursday. (AP)

Kingston: Inept batting by the Indian middle and lower-order saw the visitors lose seven wickets for only 62 runs in 11.3 overs as they were bundled for 251 in 47.3 overs against the West Indies in the fifth and final ODI at Sabina Park on Thursday. A solid 94 from Virat Kohli was the only saving grace.

West Indies were 63 for two after 19 overs. Ramnaresh Sarwan (28) and Darren Bravo (5) were at the crease. Openers Lendl Simmons (6) and Adrian Barath (17) fell to R. Vinay Kumar and Amit Mishra, respectively

Kohli who looked good for a three-figure mark was unfortunately run-out at 94 (104 balls) but his fourth wicket partnership of 110 runs with Rohit (57) laid the foundation for the visitors to put up a stiff total.

 

Apart from the duo, the Indian batsmen did not apply themselves and played poor shots as the Caribbean bowlers, led by Andre Russell (four for 35), did well to restrict the visitors.

Skipper Suresh Raina (0) and Yusuf Pathan (30) failed to utilise the platform to post a huge total on a wicket where the ball was coming onto the bat easily.

If Virat was unlucky, as he was beaten by a fantastic throw from the deep by Ramnaresh Sarwan, Rohit was guilty of throwing it away after doing all the hard work.

Raina would like to forget this series in a hurry as he compiled a poor 74 runs in five matches. Yusuf on his part was looking good to fire all cylinders but failed to handle the extra bounce.

After such a quality performance, Kohli’s name would be in the reckoning for the first XI of the Test team.

The Delhi youngster batted with lot of responsibility as he first steadied the ship with a 58-run third wicket partnership with Manoj Tiwary (22) and then a century stand with Rohit.

Put into bat after Darren Sammy won the toss, India lost openers Parthiv Patel (6) and Shikhar Dhawan (11) by the seventh over as both were done in by the extra bounce in the strip.

Parthiv wasn’t in position to pull a Russell bouncer and was holed out at mid-wicket while Dhawan failed to negotiate a rising delivery and was cramped for room going for a cut shot off Kemar Roach. He was snapped up in the first slip.

Kohli started clipping Russell delightfully to mid-wicket fence off the eighth ball he received.

The next boundary was rather a streaky edge past slip off Sammy but he made it up with a delightful cover drive in the West Indian skipper’s fourth over.

Manoj for the first time looked comfortable in his short international career. A six off Sammy, which hit the wooden roof of the club’s bar, was a breathtaking shot.

Just when he looked like getting into the groove, he edged one from Kieron Pollard straight to Carlton Baugh.

India now had the best batting passage of the innings as two best young batsmen put their wares out on display.

Both Kohli and Rohit looked to hit down the ground and picked up runs with ease as the 100 came up in the 22nd over.

Kohli was careful in his shot selection and milked leg-spinner Anthony Martin and Russell in successive overs.

The former India colts skipper bisected a Martin delivery through the backward point region and then spanked Russell through covers.

He reached his half-century in the 23rd over with a single off Martin having faced only 63 deliveries. He celebrated it with a cheeky steer for four off Lendl Simmons.

Rohit, having settled into a nice groove at the other end, slammed returning Roach over mid-wicket for an effortless six in the 36th over.

However, Kohli dismissal led to a dramatic collapse. India were to suffer another blow almost immediately when Raina played an ill-advised lofted shot to be out in the deep off Pollard.

Rohit and Pathan were well and truly into a repair act when Martin cleaned up Sharma.

Russell struck twin blows in one over when he had Pathan (30) caught behind and Amit Mishra (0) bowled in his eighth over, the 46th of the innings.