Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill in century stand as India batters make a statement in final ODI vs WI

India piled up 351/5 in the deciding third and final ODI against West Indies with Shubman Gill top-scoring with 85 in a century stand with Ishan Kishan.

Under some pressure after a comprehensive defeat in the second ODI against West Indies, India delivered a robust performance with the bat in the third and deciding match of the series on Tuesday. Asked to bat first again, India rode on half-centuries by Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson and skipper Hardik Pandya to post a formidable total of 351/5 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad.

India's Shubman Gill scores runs against West Indies during the third ODI cricket match at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba (AP)

For the second game running, the visitors chose to play without skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli, but the chopping and changing in the playing XI continued as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jaydev Unadkat were brought in for Axar Patel and Umran Malik.

India had lost five wickets before chasing down a meagre total of 115 in the first ODI, and in the second game they were bowled out for 181 in a six-wicket defeat. Finally, the batters put on a commanding show in the series decider on the back of some attractive strokeplay.

Kishan continued to impress and notched-up his fourth successive half-century in international cricket. The left-hander was dropped at backward point in the second over of the innings and made the most of that reprieve to smash eight fours and three sixes in his 64-ball 77.

India enjoyed a 143-run opening stand as Gill showed more restraint at the top of the order. The right-hander played some elegant strokes and seemed on course for a hundred but was dismissed by Gudakesh Motie for 85 off 92 balls.

Gaikwad was sent in at No.3 and failed to cash in, but Samson came in next and cracked a sparkling 41-ball 51. The right-hander hit four maximums in his knock to keep India’s scoring rate high and served another reminder of his immense potential.

India got to 221/2 in 31 overs but slowed down in the next nine, managing to add just 26 runs to their total. They needed a push in the final stage of the innings and got that thanks to Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav.

Having scored 19 and 24 in the first two ODIs, Yadav needed to respond and he did so with some typically innovative strokeplay in his 30-ball 35. Pandya, meanwhile, started sedately but showed the explosiveness he possesses later on to remain unbeaten on 70 off 52 balls. The all-rounder smashed Romario Shepherd for 18 runs in the last over to power his team to a daunting total.