England's opening pair of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow continued their form from the series opener earlier this week to smash a second consecutive century partnership, of 110 runs in 16.3 overs, in the second ODI against India in Pune.
Starting off on a promising note against India's total of 336 for six, the pair stitched a 110 run stand, their 13th century partnership for England as openers, which now stands as the most by aby English pair for any wicket. The pair surpassed Joe Root and Eoin Morgan's tally of 12 such partnership, the record Roy and Bairstow had equalled with their 135-run stand in the ODI series opener against India on Tuesday.
With the partnership, the pair also joined Australia's Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden in an elusive list becoming only the second pair in ODI cricket to score three consecutive century stands against India. Roy and Bairstow had earlier scored a 160-run stand in 133 balls in Edgbaston during their World Cup 2019 tie.
Earlier in the evening, KL Rahul's perfectly executed hundred coupled with Rishabh Pant's aggressive 77 off just 40 balls propelled India to an imposing 336/6.
Rahul, who anchored the innings, hit seven fours and two sixes in his 114-ball knock, while Pant plundered seven sixes and three boundaries, which helped the hosts go well past the 300-run mark.
Skipper Virat Kohli (66 off 79 balls; 3x4; 1x6) and Rahul laid the foundation for the big total with their 121-run third wicket stand after being put into bat at the MCA stadium
(with PTI inputs)
