In the first ODI played in Vadodara, the Indian batsmen had to sweat while chasing the target of 301 runs, while in the second ODI played at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, the poor performance of the Indian batsmen on the slow pitch, directionless bowling of the bowlers and poor fielding wrote the script of the team’s defeat.
Why India defeated by New Zealand in the IND vs NZ 2nd ODI in Rajkot?
New Zealand chased down the target of 285 in 47.3 overs, thanks to knocks from Daryl Mitchell (131*) and Will Young (87). New Zealand won by seven wickets, leveling the three-match series 1-1. The biggest reason for India’s defeat was their over-reliance on forced all-rounders.
Because of this, the entire team seems adrift. Regardless of the format, the selectors and team management are relying on all-rounders instead of pure batsmen and bowlers. An all-rounder like Hardik Pandya would be a good thing. Nitish Reddy doesn’t look like an international-level all-rounder at all. Ravindra Jadeja has lost his steam in ODIs. There’s no batsman at number six or seven who can score quickly and destroy the opposition.
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If the team management is looking for that elixir in Harshit Rana, they need to consult another physician. If Rinku Singh had been in this match, he could have increased the run rate in the end. If the top two or three batsmen don’t score, the ODI team looks like a Duronto without a driver, eager to make the journey to the 2027 World Cup but with no one to take it there.
The inclusion of Ayush Badoni as a replacement for Washington Sundar after his injury in the first ODI is incomprehensible. Axar Patel would have been a much better choice for Sundar. However, only one change was made to the team for the second ODI. Nitish Kumar Reddy replaced Washington Sundar. Coming in to bat at number seven, Nitish scored 20 runs from 21 balls and bowled only two overs.
He is neither scoring runs with the bat nor is his bowling showing any sharpness. The situation of the other all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also similar. Jadeja played 44 balls and scored only 27 runs. He disappointed with the ball as well. Jadeja took his last wicket in ODIs on December 6 last year against South Africa. He has only one wicket in three ODIs against South Africa and two against New Zealand.
That means he has taken just one wicket in the last five ODIs. This all-rounder has also been a major drag on the team in Test matches. Shardul and Nitish were given opportunities in the two-Test series against South Africa, but both were ineffective.