New Delhi: Captain of India Shubman Gill He admitted that his team failed to gain control in the crucial middle overs during their seven-wicket loss to New Zealand in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday. Gill felt that the inability to take wickets during that phase made it extremely difficult to defend the total, even if India posted a competitive score.
“We couldn't take any wickets in the middle overs. With five fielders, if you don't take wickets in the middle overs, it becomes very difficult, even if we added 15-20 more runs. And if you don't take wickets in the middle overs, it is very difficult to restrict the target,” Gill said in the post-match presentation. India scored 284 for seven on a two-speed surface, with KL Rahul opening the innings with an unbeaten 112 off 92 balls, his eighth ODI century. However, New Zealand chased the target with ease thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 131 from Daryl Mitchell. Mitchell also made a decisive partnership of 162 runs from 152 balls for the third wicket with Will Young, who scored 87 runs. Reflecting on the conditions and the importance of partnerships, Gill said, “On these types of wickets, as soon as you make a partnership, the set batsman has to make it big because it is not easy for the incoming batsman to score runs freely.” Gill admitted that India had started strong with the ball but failed to maintain the pressure later in the innings. He further added, “In the end, we got a good target on the board, and we bowled exceptionally well in the first 10 overs. And the kind of starts we got bowling, we were trying to stifle them, put them under pressure, but I think they batted really well in the middle overs.” The Indian captain also revealed that as the match progressed, the pitch became easier to bat on and he felt that his bowlers could have been more adventurous. “In the first 10-15 overs that we bowled, the ball was having a bit of movement. But I think after 20-25 overs, the wicket might have settled a bit, but I think we could have been a bit more brave while bowling in the middle overs. We could have taken a bit more chances.“ Gill did not shy away from highlighting fielding flaws as another reason behind the defeat. “Even in the last match we missed some chances. That's one thing we're always trying to get better at, especially with this team, is fielding. This is an aspect we are always trying to get better at. And yes, if you don't take your chances in this format, it always leads to defeat,'' he concluded. New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell praised his team's all-round effort in leveling the series. “It was a complete performance from us and I am proud of the team. At the halfway point we were very happy. We bowled very well. It was a typical Kiwi performance with the ball,” he said. Bracewell also praised his team's patience during the chase. “We were really ready to chase anything. They bowled really well, and the way the guys adapted and handled the pressure was great. Then Daryl and Young took the game away from India.” On Mitchell's approach against Kuldeep Yadav and the role of debutant Jaden Lennox, Bracewell said, “The batsman understands the conditions really well. We pride ourselves on adapting and taking the game forward. He (Jaden Lennox) bowled really well. It's never easy making your debut in India. He bowled tough overs.”
Leave a Reply