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Amit Mishra floored New Zealand with his second five-wicket-haul in ODIs. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: India needed to defend 270 runs in order to win their first major bilateral ODI series in two years. And as it turned out, did so without breaking a sweat. In one of the worst batting collapses in recent memory, New Zealand dished out a rather sub-standard performance, and from 63/2, lost their final eight wickets for all of 16 runs.
Yes, you read that right.India ran a demolition derby over New Zealand to win the decider at Visakhapatnam by a whopping 190 runs, their fourth-largest win in ODIs in terms of runs. New Zealand were overwhelmed by the Indian spinners and folded for 79, their fifth-lowest total in ODIs. Amit Mishra led the pack with a second five-wicket-haul that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. He was also named Man of the Series for picking up 15 wickets.
The opening act of the win was set by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who struck crucial half-centuries at two equally pivotal stages of the innings after MS Dhoni called it right at the toss and decided to bat first. New Zealand, as it panned out, scored only 9 more than Rohit’s 70. An indication how clueless their batting was. Only three batsmen reached double figures and five registered ducks.
In an even first innings, India put up three valuable partnerships and New Zealand broke it when it mattered. India however, were pleased to get to 269/6 due to slog-over heroics from Kedar Jadhav and Axar Patel after the game seemed to be going either way at a stage. Four of the five matches at Vizag have been won by the side chasing. Not this time though.
India were given an early advantage when Umesh Yadav removed Martin Guptill for his second duck of the series. It was almost a replay of his dismissal at the Kotla – a perfect away swinger which clipped Guptill’s thigh pad and crashed onto the stumps. On other occasions, Umesh was full and Tom Latham, confident of the form he’s been in, drove him handsomely for a couple of boundaries early on before the two-paced nature of the surface got the better of him.
Kane Williamson did the same. What stands out about him is his foot movement – rarely is he seen stuck while playing his shots. With back-to-back boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah, Williamson was beginning to look authoritative but his little charge was halted by Axar Patel who was immaculate with his wicket-to-wicket line. A half-hearted loft towards long off saw the back of him. Ross Taylor struggled for the most part of his innings as well and offered a feather to Dhoni going for a cut.
And that opened the floodgates. Mishra foxed BJ Watling with a dream googly, and followed it with the wickets of Jimmy Neesham and Tim Southee in the next over. Neesham dismissal was a ripped with the ball turning viciously to take his off stump, while Dhoni completed yet another lightning quick stumping – of Southee. With New Zealand falling like a pack of cards, debutant Jayant Yadav had his moment in the sun, trapping Corey Anderson leg before for his maiden international wicket.
Ish Sodhi top edged to Rahane and gave Mishra his fifth.
Earlier, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane gave India their slowest start of the series – 45 runs in the first 10 overs. They got the odd boundary but lacked fluency in the overall scoring. Rahane initially cracked two fours in two overs to settle things but was later bogged down. Batting wasn’t easy – the balls mostly came slower off the surface. Southee and Trent Boult did well to roll their fingers over the ball.
Its reward went to Neesham, who had Rahane chipping to midwicket. Williamson did the right thing by introducing Mitchell Santner and Sodhi which tightened things. Even the arrival of Virat Kohli didn’t help much and India were reduced to scoring less than five an over. It was more of a caution by choice.
In between, Rohit timed a couple of good hits – a six over long off and a boundary towards square leg. The floodgates though really opened when Rohit advanced to Sodhi and sent him over the sidescreen. Having twisted his ankle while diving for a single, he accelerated the innings with poised support from Kohli. With a cracking cut, Rohit brought up his 29th fifty in ODIs. A forward punch for six off Neesham stood out.
With Rohit connecting and finding the boundaries, Kohli bided his time. Oddly enough, the gap between his first and second boundary was 11 overs. Such was the difficulty India faced. The batsmen were helped by a dropped chance each. Rohit, going for one shot too many, miscued a Boult bouncer to find Neesham.
Kohli, who attempted at breaking the shackles in the 30th over from Sodhi. He dispatched the legspinner over the long-off boundary and MS Dhoni followed it up with a four. The re-introduction of seamers helped India’s run-scoring. And for a change, it was Dhoni reaping the benefit of it. He targeted the area between square leg and fine leg, and scored three four in that direction. Dhoni and Kohli brought up the fifty-run stand, but just when it seemed they were setting the stage for a flourishing finish, Dhoni missed a sweep and was trapped leg-before by Santner.
New Zealand then hit back. Manish Pandey slogged to Sodhi four balls later. Kohli had to fight hard for his 38th ODI fifty, but perished in order to lift the scoring. That India somewhat recovered to reach the score they did from 220 owed to a gutsy effort from Jadhav. He got three fours and a six at the dying stages of the innings. He and Axar added 46 in 39 balls to give India what seemed a slight edge at the innings break.
Brief scores:India 269/6 (Rohit Sharma 70, Virat Kohli 65; Trent Boult 2/52) beatNew Zealand 79 all out (Williamson 27; Mishra 5/18) by 190 runs to win series 3-2.
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TENSE TIMES: Chief selector MSK Prasad (right), skipper MS Dhoni (centre) and coach Anil Kumble indulge in an intense discussion on the eve of the fifth ODI at Vizag. (AFP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: The roller-coaster ODI series is all set to have a landfall in the City of Destiny on Saturday even as storm clouds hover over the city and threaten to make their presence felt in the final game of the five-match series. It rained the previous night and though there was no rain during the day time, the possibility of it coming down on match day is not ruled out.However, weather forecast says that cyclone Kyant has weakened and chances of it washing out the game is less but a few spells of rain are still on the card. Hence, the teams have their fingers crossed as they look to grab the honours.
ALSO READ: MS Dhoni slogs it out ahead of series decider
Coming back to the series, the New Zealanders, after being thrashed in the three-match Test series, were expected to put up a much improved show in the One-dayers – a format which they have done well in over the years. Even though they managed to level the series, the Kiwis haven’t put in a dominant performance. Both matches which they won were close affairs as the Indians failed to hold their nerve. To the credit of the Kiwis , they hung in when the going got tough and managed to keep the hosts from running away with the series and thereby making the final game a competitive one.
ALSO READ: We would like to do what no other NZ side has done, says Southee
The problem for them has been the inability of the batsmen to dominate the Indian bowling especially the spinners. In the Ranchi game, the Kiwis’ ploy to go after the pacers paid rich dividends as they garnered 80 runs in the first 10 overs. But once the spinners came on, they struggled and the final 10 overs yielded a ‘normal’ 61 runs.
ALSO READ: Under-fire Dhoni faces tricky Kiwis test in series-decider
Opener Tom Latham has been the most consistent batsman for the Kiwis in this series and skipper Kane Williamson has struck a century in the Delhi game, but the rest haven’t been consistent. The return to form of Martin Guptill augurs well for the visitors but the middle-order batsmen will have to give one final push if they fancy their chances against a determined India, who are keen on not losing the series. India’s problem has been finding a suitable replacement for skipper MS Dhoni in the No.6 & 7 spot. The ageing warrior has slowed down and his inability to pull off his trademark strokes at the death has hurt the side much. He, has, however showed that he can still contribute to the side as he did with an 80 in the third game in Mohali. The trouble is that his move up the order makes life easy from him but it doesn’t solve the team’s concerns.
A finisher at the end of the innings – a role which ‘Captain Cool’ essayed with consummate ease for many years – is the call of the hour. The hosts have placed their trust in the likes of Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya but the youngsters have not been able to deliver yet. However, Dhoni has called for patience with the inexperienced batting.
While there is no doubt that India need to plan ahead especially keeping in mind the Champions Trophy, it’s the immediate future that counts and Dhoni & co will have to step up their game if they don’t want to dampen the festive mood.
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Dhoni during a practice session in Vishakhapatnam. (AP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: The main focus at the Dr YSR ACA-VDCA Stadium practice arena was on India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was seen taking tennis ball throwdowns, to get used to the bounce of the pitch on the eve of the series-deciding fifth and final game against New Zealand on Saturday.
After that Dhoni faced the conventional white ball and practised his trademark shots in a lengthy session at the nets.
A fit-again pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the last ODI in Ranchi, bowled with vigour as eight Indian players turned up for the optional practice session.
The weather remained bright and sunny, clearing any apprehension of a downpour due to cyclone Kyant, which has subsided.
Head coach Anil Kumble engaged in a long one-on-one session with Kedar Jadhav, who has stunned many with his exploits, picking up six wickets from four matches.
The series poised at 2-2, India’s other top-order batsmen — Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli — stayed away from the nets.
Included in place of Bumrah in the last one-day international, Dhawal Kulkarni bowled full and lacked control in Ranchi, conceding 8.42 runs per over for his 1/57 as New Zealand got off to a splendid start.
With Bumrah looking fit, he may be brought back into the playing XI on Saturday.
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Southee said they are confident to take a horses for courses approach. (AP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: Having turned the tables after a shoddy show in the Test series, New Zealand speedster Tim Southee is confident that the Black Caps will be scripting history by winning their first ever bilateral ODI series in India.
“I think the guys are pretty excited to do what no other NZ side has ever done before — come over here and win a one-day series. The excitement in the group is very high,” the New Zealand pacer said on the eve of the series decider.
India-New Zealand bilateral rivalry dates back to 1988 when the Dilip Vengsarkar-led team made a clean 4-0 sweep against John Wright and Co.
In 1995, Mohammad Azharuddin’s Indian team won 3-2, and four years later a Sachin Tendulkar-led team produced an identical result.
Their worst defeat has been in 2010 when Gautam Gambhir led India to a 5-0 rout against Ross Taylor and Co.
“Everyone is really looking forward to tomorrow. It’s been a long tour for some guys and it’ll be nice to finish what’s been a tough tour on a high note. The spirits are high and everyone is excited about the challenge for tomorrow,” Southee added.
The biggest takeaway from their 19-run Ranchi win was Kane Williamson’s assessment to read the conditions perfectly as the Kiwi skipper not only opted to bowl ignoring the dew but picked three spinners on a surface that surprisingly behaved slow.
“I think it’s just the communication. From the batters spent some town in the middle and what they find tough they feed that information to the bowlers,” Southee explained the reason.
“If we bowl we give information to batsman. Not every time we can get it right. Just give ourselves the best chance to read the conditions and adapt quickly.”
Asked about their assessment of the Visakhapatnam wicket, he said they are confident to take a horses for courses approach.
“Kane and (coach) Mike will look at the wicket and they’ll come up with the best side they think suited for the wicket,” he said about the surface that has seen India’s monumental 356/9 against Pakistan in the venue’s first ODI in 2005.
“We’ve chopped and changed throughout the series. The pitches have changed in each game. So I guess it’ll be whatever we think the best mix is for this game.”
He further said exciting time lies ahead for the New Zealand ODI side with their three allrounders James Neesham, Mitchell Santner and Corey Anderson young and learning the tricks of the trade.
“They’re all very young and still learning the game and so I think it’s exciting in the years to come with those three guys all in their early to mid-20s with big future ahead of them. I don’t think it’s a worry at all, it’s one of their strengths going forward over the next possible 10 years, we’ll have three guys fighting out keeping each other on their toes.”
India’s win in Dharamsala and Mohali had Kohli written all over it as the star batsman steered the chase with his unbeaten knocks.
“He’s a quality player especially when India is chasing, his record chasing is phenomenal. He’s obviously a big wicket when any side plays against India. Him and Dhoni they’re records are unbelievable.
Southee said it’s not just Kohli but the others also pose an equal threat.
“We have to keep taking wickets. They got quality players in and around those two. We saw the games we’ve won its come down to their last wicket partnerships. They’ve scrambled few runs as well. Not only Kohli but it’s important to keep taking wickets.”
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Kedar Jadhav said he varies his action according the batsman so as to make it difficult to read. (AFP Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: From a specialist batsman to someone whose off-breaks are proving to be more than handy, Kedar Jadhav believes that the key to his transformation is accepting challenges and knowing how to overcome it.
Jadhav has bowled 18 overs in four games taking six wickets for 73 runs at a decent economy rate of 4.05.
ALSO READ: Rich rewards for Kedar Jadhav
“It’s all about taking this responsibility and accepting the challenge that comes at you and then, coming out of the challenge successfully,” Jadhav said on the eve of their fifth and final One-dayer against New Zealand.
ALSO READ: Kedar Jadhav happy to grab ‘great opportunity’
Jadhav, who’s playing in place of an indisposed Suresh Raina, bowled for the first time in international cricket when MS Dhoni gave him the ball ahead of the regular spin duo of Axar Patel and Amit Mishra on a seaming Dharamsala track in the first one-dayer.
“Here, you need to contribute if the captain is asking you to bowl (some) overs. You don’t have to bowl (just) as a part-time bowler. You need to take the responsibility with the ball or bat,” Jadhav said.
“I guess when you play for India, you have to contribute in every possible way you can. While playing in the IPL, I do that with wicketkeeping — by contributing rather than batting,” Jadhav said.
Jadhav said he varies his action according the batsman so as to make it difficult to read.
“It’s both – a bit of my action and the pace I vary according to the batsmen that makes it difficult (for them) to read I guess. Mahi bhai asked me to bowl. Obviously, Mahi wants a few bowlers from the top five or six batsmen to bowl at least 4-5 overs. If a bowler has a bad day, it helps (the team) you know.”
Jadhav who got out for a duck in the fourth ODI in Ranchi is yet to click as a batsman and he said he’s to learn quickly. Youngster Manish Pandey too is missing among runs and Jadhav said they would have to get into their act soon.
“Obviously, the opportunity has been missed, especially in the last game. But it’s still early stages for Manish (Pandey) and me. We need to grab whatever opportunity is thrown at us. We need to learn quickly from the opportunities we have missed. That’s what international cricket is all about – delivering when it matters most to the team.”
An attacking middle-order batsman, Jadhav who came into the limelight with a 29-ball-50 for Delhi Daredevils on his IPL debut, also spoke about his favourite sweep shot.
“Sweep is a natural shot to me. It’s my strength. If a spinner is bowling to my pads in the middle overs and when you don’t wanna take too many high-risk shots.
“That’s the shot which you can take when the bowler tries to bowl outside the leg stump or off stump. You can paddle it out because we have 4 fielders on the leg side and behind the square, you have only one (fielder). If you pass that fielder, you get a sure-shot boundary. It’s a good shot to play when the bowlers attack my pads.”
Jadhav also backed their batting unit which looks too much dependent on Virat Kohli.
“Virat is a great player and it’s always nice if he scores. It makes life easy for the batsmen coming next to get whatever runs (possible). But it’s not like that (we’re overdependent on him). We have too many quality batsmen in the team and we need to deliver whenever we get the opportunity.”
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It appears this could be MS Dhoni’s final match at the ground where he made his mark as an international cricketer. (TOI Photo) April 5, 2005. A date that holds a very special place in Indian cricket history. On this day at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam, in the first international match played there, the first ODI hundred by an Indian wicketkeeper was scored.
The man of the moment was a rookie MS Dhoni, in his fifth ODI and henna-stained locks yet to become a fashion statement in India.
After scores of 0, 12, 7* and 3, Dhoni was sent up the order to No 3 against Pakistan and proceed to smash 148 off 123 balls with 15 fours and four sixes, setting the platform for India’s 356/9. In that innings, the cricketing world woke up to Dhoni’s potential. A star was born, and how.
The rest, as the saying goes, is history.
Dhoni has since played three more ODIs at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, one of which produced a duck and the other an unbeaten 51 off 40 balls, for a batting average of 99.50 in three innings there.
Now, as he leads India in the final ODI against New Zealand on Saturday, it appears this could be Dhoni’s final match at the ground where he made his mark as an international cricketer. In the third ODI he batted himself up the order at No 4 and scored 80 off 91 balls. In the last match, he again batted at No 4 and made 11 off 31 balls. His likely final ODI in his hometown of Ranchi didn’t go to plan, from the fan’s perspective who would have loved to have their cult hero smash India to victory.
What chances Dhoni returns to the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium and delivers one final hurrah?
Relive that electric hundred from Dhoni here:
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India captain MS Dhoni with Virat Kohli. (PTI Photo) VISAKHAPATNAM: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s leadership as well as finishing skills will be put through a stern test when an inconsistent India take on a rejuvenated New Zealand in the series-deciding fifth and final cricket ODI, here on Saturday.
ALSO READ: Dhoni needs strong support cast to rediscover finishing touch
With the series locked at 2-2, Dhoni and his men will be eager to clinch the issue while history beckons Kane Williamson’s men as they have a glorious opportunity to taste their maiden success in a bilateral ODI rubber.
ALSO READ: Dhoni should stick to batting at No 4, feels Ganguly
The only thing that can play spoilsport is the cyclone threat which can lead to complete washout.
ALSO READ: We are geared up for the series decider, says Ross Taylor
While Dhoni’s captaincy may not be under immediate threat but a series loss against New Zealand will certainly raise questions about ‘Captain Cool’s’ ability to marshall his resources after his much publicised admission of being unable to rotate strike lower down the order.
Under Dhoni, India lost three ODI series – 1-2 against Bangladesh in Bangladesh, 1-4 against Australia Down Under and 2-3 at home against South Africa. The only ODI series victory in the last 18 months has been against a lowly Zimbabwe.
Away from home for four months spanning two continents, New Zealand’s only success was a 2-0 win against a lowly Zimbabwe, following which they drew South Africa 1-1 before being whitewashed 0-3 by India in the Tests.
Their ODI campaign started off on a sour note in Dharamasala but some strong batting performances by skipper Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill in Delhi and Ranchi respectively have managed to catch India off guard and level the five-match series 2-2.
That they have never won against India in four bilateral contests since 1988 will be a big motivation for the Black Caps to buck the trend and return home with an act of redemption.
Weather permitting, a tantalising finish is on the cards as India would be equally hungry for success at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, a venue where they boast of a 4-1 record.
Their last win has been against Sri Lanka, a 5-0 whitewash way back in November-2014 and an under-fire Dhoni would not want another series loss at the fag end of his career.
The world No.4 India have just three more ODIs, against England, ahead of the coveted Champions Trophy in June next year and it would be an opportunity for Dhoni to give them a boost against a team which is ranked a notch higher.
The over-reliance on Virat Kohli has also been evident during the series as Indian Test captain was the prime performer in both victories during the first four matches so far.
With their opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane yet to provide a much-needed solid start, India’s batting is centred around their no 1 batsman Kohli.
Consider this, India’s both the wins of the series had Kohli anchor the chase be it the 85 not out in a low-scoring chase in Dharamsala, or his majestic unbeaten 154 that hunted down New Zealand’s challenging 285 in Mohali.
Chasing a modest 261 in the fourth ODI in Ranchi, Rahane returned to form with a half-century while Kohli looked in full flow on a slow wicket but both failed to convert their starts, and it was a familiar story for the inexperienced middle-order.
Failure or not, Indian fabled opener Sharma has been a permanent member of the line-up with Dhoni seeming to be in no mood to give youngsters the chance and Mandeep Singh is seen warming the bench.
Sharma’s last big knock came in Australia, and it’s been more than nine months he’s yet to score a century in either longer or shorter format. His scores in the ongoing series read 14, 15, 13 and 11, something that is hurting India’s cause more than anything else.
It’s high time that the world record holder for ODI individual score of 264 return to form in the most-important match of the series, and at his mother’s home town he would hope to make it special.
It’s the same venue where Dhoni had got instant stardom with his fiery 123-ball 148 to take India to a huge 356/9 in their 58-run win over Pakistan in the first match of the venue.
The Dhoni special had come batting at no 3. The Indian skipper may not be like the old ‘Dhoni’ but having promoted to no 4 in Mohali where he scored a 91-ball 80 his intentions are right, if not his reflexes.
Following up with his brilliant half-century, Dhoni disappointed his home crowd with a 31-ball 11 before being cleaned up by James Neesham, and missing the line completely.
In his heyday, he would have dispatched it for six but Dhoni is struggling to get back to his old rhythm.
He has also made a stunning revelation of ‘losing ability’ to freely rotate in the middle as to expect a Dhoni special would be like expecting a youngster to finish a chase.
As for bowling, India have done reasonably well, especially the spin trio of Amit Mishra, Axar Patel and part-timer Kedar Jadhav who have ensured that they have not missed the regulars, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
On pace front, India would hope that Jasprit Bumrah who was indisposed and was replaced by a lacklustre Dhawal Kulkarni returns to full fitness.
Opener Martin Guptill’s return to form in Ranchi to go with the consistency of Tom Latham who has five half-centuries from seven matches, combined Tests and ODIs, on the tour will give New Zealand a massive advantage up front.
Skipper Williamson at number 3 too has been consistent but it’s their middle order who has often frittered away good starts, be it in Ranchi where they were on course for 300 or in the previous ODIs.
Left-arm spinner Anton Devcich who was included as a third spinner in Ranchi looked ordinary as Williamson may not mind bringing back either Corey Anderson or Matt Henry.
With conditions overcast, the last thing India would want is a wash-out. Despite weakening, cyclone Kyant and has gone further down south, there’s forecast of localised downpours as both the teams will keep their fingers crossed.
The venue is slated to host its maiden Test in less than a month’s time, when India take on England from November 17.
As a matter of fact, around the same time Visakhapatnam was ravaged by cyclone Hudhud and the scheduled last ODI here between India and West Indies was cancelled without a ball bowled on October 14, 2014.
It remains to be seen whether India give themselves a Diwali gift or New Zealand return home with their heads held high.
Teams
India: MS Dhoni (captain & wk), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Axar Patel, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Amit Mishra, Dhawal Kulkarni, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Jayant Yadav and Mandeep Singh.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, James Neesham, BJ Watling, Anton Devcich, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell.
Match starts: 1.30 pm IST.
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MS Dhoni has a lot of issues to address. (AP Photo) MUMBAI: In movies, lead actors, despite having great lines or scenes written for them, depend on their co-actors’ pauses or reactions or cues to elevate a scene or situation to the next level. The same can be said about sport.
ALSO READ: Dhoni should stick to batting at No 4, feels Ganguly
“Batting down the order is one of the toughest things to do. You don’t get a (ready-made) player who’s complete, who bats at No.5, 6 or 7, all the time.”
Skipper MS Dhoni chose his words carefully while addressing the media as he analysed India’s 19-run defeat to New Zealand to leave the series tied at 2-2, with everything to play for in Vizag on Saturday.That is, if cyclone Kyant is kind enough to allow play. Dhoni is right. Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Mohd Kaif and Dhoni himself developed those skills to finish a game over a course of 15-20 ODIs and repeatedly being put in such situations.
In the 1990s, invariably it was Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh who performed that role.
So, what skills are required for batting at that number? Ability to read the situation, the wicket and the calmness to not go too early for the big shot and perish in the process.
Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav have been assigned that role now and neither of them have played long enough in those positions to succeed consistently. They are also by-products of the IPL era where they are required to play the big shots. Pandey perished trying to do that on Wednesday while Jadhav perished attempting a cute stroke at the Kotla. Ditto for Hardik Pandya. What the finishers of the past, named above, benefitted from was a crack opening pair in either Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly or Ganguly and Sehwag, or Sehwag and Tendulkar, who invariably got the team off to sublime starts. Pandey and Jadhav have not enjoyed that luxury.
They have also been a bit crippled by the fact that the skipper’s hitting skills and the ability to rotate strike on difficult pitches have been on the wane over the last 18 months.
In Mohali, when he scored 80, Dhoni had good allies in the form of a true pitch and a red-hot Virat Kohli. Kohli’s skill to find the gaps consistently enabled Dhoni to create his own tempo and rhythm and play a key role in the win. In Ranchi, on a tired pitch, and with Kohli gone and the game still in balance, he had to make all the play on his own.
As his 11 off 31 balls illustrated, he wasn’t equipped to do it. Ajinkya Rahane batted well for his 57, but he is not the batsman that can take you home. Not yet anyway. He has hardly batted beyond the 35th over, barring the odd knock. While Dhoni will go down in history as one of India’s and the game’s greatest ever middle-order players, he is right now in the need of support when it comes to injecting momentum in chases. At 30 or 32, one could hope for stirring solos from him. Without Suresh Raina or Yuvraj Singh and without a solid and in-form top-order, those solos won’t happen.
It was proved in Sydney where Dhoni fed off Pandey (104* off 81 balls) to score 34 off 42 balls as India chased down 331. In Kanpur last year, against South Africa, Rohit Sharma slammed a sublime 150 and till he was there Dhoni did not feel troubled. But the moment Rohit departed with India needing 34 from 23 balls, Dhoni struggled.
ALL SET FOR DECIDER: India and New Zealand have been tied 2-2 twice in the past in five-match series. In 1995, India managed to win the final ODI at the Brabourne Stadium to clinch the series under Mohammad Azharuddin. In 1999, Tendulkar led India to a series win in the fifth ODI at the Kotla.
PROBLEM AREAS FOR INDIA UNDER-PERFORMING TOP-ORDER: Since 2013, very rarely have India not got good starts. In the four ODIs here, Indiaâ€s starts have been 49, 21, 13 and 19. Rohit Sharma is yet to cross 15 in the four ODIs and he is one of Indiaâ€s key players. His lack of form has put Kohli and Dhoni under pressure.
IN-EXPERIENCED MIDDLE-ORDER: Axar Patel, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav may have played the odd great knock, but they haven’t been in the trenches fighting for the side and rescuing the team from tough situations enough number of times. With Raina (unwell) or Yuvraj (ignored), the team lacks experience in tight scenarios.
PROFLIGATE BOWLING: India have so far bowled 30 wides in the series which is five extra overs. Umesh Yadav has contributed to 11 of those. In the absence of Shami, he was expected to lead the attack, but inconsistency has been his trusted friend and has always been reluctant to leave his company.
AXAR’S ROLE: When Dhoni was asked about Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar during the 2009 Champions Trophy, he has snidely remarked, I don’t know whether he is a batsman who could bowl or a bowler who could bat. Axar Patel, who has enjoyed the trust of the skipper falls in the same boat too as he has not inspired with the bat or ball, barring the last game in Ranchi where he scored 38.
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Taylor termed India outstanding at home. (Getty Images) VISAKHAPATNAM: Eyeing a historic bilateral ODI series win in India, New Zealand senior batsman Ross Taylor on Thursday said they are hungry to win the five-match series decider on Saturday and make up for the 0-3 whitewash in Tests.
“You don’t often win series away from home especially in the sub-continent. It’s a pretty exciting time. Hopefully we can get better than what we have in the past,” the former New Zealand captain told the New Zealand Cricket website as they checked into the coastal Andhra city this evening.
New Zealand have never won a bilateral ODI series against India in India.It is in sharp contrast to their 18-11 record in India in a multi-team tournament.
But having defeated India by 19 runs in Ranchi yesterday, Kane Williamson and Co are determined to return home on a high after being on the road since the Zimbabwe tour in July.
“Four months on the road becomes tough but going into a decider it’s pretty easy to get up for. We have not won a series here. We are looking forward to it. We know what we need to do to win here,” Taylor, who had captained the side on their last tour in 2010 in a 0-5 result, added.
Terming India ‘outstanding at home’ he said: “Hopefully we can continue the progress we have made in the last couple of games. Hopefully we can replicate our performance in three days time.”
Williamson read the conditions beautifully in Ranchi to opt to bat as Martin Guptill’s 72 took them to 260/7 which proved to be a winning total on a difficult Ranchi wicket.
“It was a pretty tough wicket. Martin and Latham got us to a good start. Once the ball got softer, it showed how tough it was to rotate the strike.
“Kane was struggling out there as well. But we were always confident to defend 260. We picked up crucial wickets along the way. Happy with the result. Going into the match with six bowlers gave Kane a bit of leeway with the bowling changes. It was pretty tough once the ball got a bit older. But we knew we had to keep wickets in hand. It was never going to be easy to score 80 or 90 in the last 10.”
Winter may have already set in Ranchi, but surprisingly there was no dew yesterday.
“We were fortunate that there was no dew out there. It shows a lot of character, not only from the side but the team management. We have been on the road for a long period of time but three more days to get ourselves up for a very crucial match.”
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