Kohli: ‘England performed the way we know they can’

England ace Tymal Mills, who took his first wicket in the win over India, hopes to get a run of games under his belt following a “tough couple of years”. And so for the Green Park ultras the innings dissolved into An Evening With MS Dhoni, India’s last grandee left to steer them through to the death.

England won the toss and chose to field first, drawing a mix of roars and boos around this fun, rambling selection of oversized verandas with a lime green oval at its centre.

The only England player who might not feel entirely thrilled by his night’s work is Adil Rashid. Even Kohli’s strike rate was only 111.53: nearly Trottian set against England’s pyrotechnics, and India scored just three boundaries from the 11th to 20th overs, an innings that never got out of third gear.

Kohli had looked in typically menacing form, hitting four boundaries in 26 balls, but the dangerman was removed when he hit Moeen Ali (2-21) to Morgan at midwicket to leave India on 55-2.

Even though Jordan’s change of ends worked for England, Morgan made two more bowling changes once Liam Plunkett leaked two fours off Suresh Raina in the sixth over. Rashid did at least made his mark with two catches.

But Kohli, who now averages over 50 in all three formats following another productive ODI series against England, will not be intimidated by the paceman. Then obviously finishing well; when you got to bowl to MS [Dhoni] at the end, especially when he’s faced 10-15 balls already, it’s very hard, coming in and nailing the skills.

Mills’ last two, at the death, cost just 12 runs and contained his first worldwide scalp – Hardik Pandya offering catching practice to Billings at deep cover. Jordan went for back-to-back boundaries in the final over but India’s momentum was interrupted with Parvez Rasool’s run out, Dhoni taking two off the last ball to help India to 147-7. One shot stood out, Billings stepping outside off stump and lapping the ball for six over the unmanned fine leg. Sam Billings hasn’t played a great deal on this tour but has taken the two chances he’s had.

Yazvendra Chalal was slog-swept for six first ball but responded by dismissing both openers in the same over.

As India switch gears to the shortest format, all eyes will be on the likes of seasoned campaigners Suresh Raina and Ashish Nehra.

The bowling has been the main source of concern for Eoin Morgan all winter, and it is here that England see an opportunity for these three games to feed into the wider Champions Trophy preparations. Kohli’s wicket triggered a mini collapse as India lost three wickets in the next seven overs.

But there was a calmness that suggested matters were well in hand. We have the belief that they will give the performance like they have given in the past.