New Zealand force their way into another decider
First thing first
Let’s all wish a very happy birthday (5th Nov) to Virat Kohli. Champion Indian batsmen, premier international modern day batsman, Indian cricket captain, an excellent fielder, an aggressive & passionate cricketer, a supremely fit athlete, an inspiration to many young & budding cricketers across the world and a sportsman who millions try to emulate. God bless you.
A one man show
If we had to describe the second T20 New Zealand - India match at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot, Gujarat, then nothing better than “one man show” would fit the bill. It doesn’t mean that other players had insignificant performances. Hardly that. What it means is that Mr. Colin Munro’s 109 runs off 58 balls with seven sixes and boundaries apiece at a phenomenal strike rate of 187.9 was the only difference between the two teams that mattered in the end.
There were other factors as well. New Zealand got rid of the dangerous Indian openers in the first two overs itself. The Kiwi spinners than came into their own, especially Ish Sodhi, the tall and wily leg spinner. The control with which they bowled and exercised over the host team’s batsmen was both fascinating and puzzling. The look of amazement over Hardik Pandaya after Sodhi’s googly rattled his stumps sums up the whole match. However, all this played second fiddle to the smashing innings played by the Black Caps’ opener from Auckland (his domestic team).
Kohli’s innings
It might have gone in vain, but it was there and it was as beautiful to watch as ever. The footwork, the eyes right on the ball till it left the bat, the gaps which the balls found once they left the bat and of course, the running between the wickets. Only thing he needed was a little bit of support from the other end which becomes paramount when chasing a near ten an average total against a formidable bowling attack like the Kiwis have.
The Shreyas and the Pandayas
In the ODIs, Panadaya was moved up the order on a number of occasions and played some sensational innings. However, a 50-over format allows for such kind of experiments. It offers the luxury of time (an over or two at the very least), people coming in and getting their eyes in. If the move fails then, there is always Dhoni or other experienced player around to dig in their heels and absorb pressure and, may be counter attack.
However, in a 20-over format, what this led to was desperation from Dhoni. All could see how hard he was trying to connect and how hard it was getting for him to connect.
In not so distant past
India was chasing an even stiffer target against even a better ranked team last time T20 was played at this venue. Yuvraj Singh had been the big difference then. India has tried various options including Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik and now Shreyas Iyer and the reason the experiment continues is that India hasn’t yet found anyone who has performed consistently at that position - somebody who offers solidity as well as raw explosive power. Somebody like Yuvraj Singh, who brings in much more to the table including a wealth of experience, a proven left arm bowling option and a fear-invoking reputation he has earned over the years. He can capably serve his team for few more years to come.
Thiruvananthapuram to be the judge
With the series hanging in a balance, the teams move to the south of the country. The city of Thiruvananthapuram in the beautiful state of Kerala will be the venue this time for yet another decider between the two teams in the last couple of weeks. The fate of the match is apparently in the hands of the rain gods. The way the entire tour has unfolded, the teams and their respective supporters deserve a proper climax to this hard fought, seesaw series.
Fingers crossed, let’s all hope for the best.
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