India v New Zealand, 3rd T20I - 5 Talking Points

Right at the start of the series, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra predicted that New Zealand will offer more resilience than their neighbours Australia. Staying true to that prediction, Kane Williamson’s courageous boys endeavoured a mouth-watering fight in every single aspect of the game. However, the cruel game knows only result and as far as the outcomes are concerned, the Kiwis will be returning to their home empty-handed.

In a rain-curtailed match at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Williamson asked the home side to bat through their 8 overs first. India managed to score 67 runs from those 8 overs, which might not look a very big total but given the damp nature of the pitch, it was too much for New Zealand to chase. The Black Caps eventually came short of the target by just 6 runs, thereby handing another home series victory to Virat Kohli‘s men. Let us now have a look at the 5 talking points from the game

1. Failure of the Indian openers

Though it was a game of just 8 overs and the batters had to opt from the shots from the very beginning, Rohit Sharma-Shikhar Dhawan’s opening pair’s failure shifted the momentum towards the away side. While the former managed to score 8 runs from 9 balls, the latter scored 6 in as many balls. The end result was that Kohli had to take the pressure, as he does quite often, and go for the kill, which in turn resulted in his dismissal.

2. Manish Pandey’s valuable 17 runs

Given that 4 bowlers were allowed to bowl two overs each, Kohli went with Manish Pandey for this game. It was a risky decision and a series-deciding decision. When the rest of the lot was struggling in front of Williamson’s bowlers, Manish Pandey kept the scoreboard ticking. His 17 runs from 11 runs hold immense value in this game, where the big players failed to leave their mark. Pandey stayed in the crease till the very last over, ensuring that India reaches to a respectable and competitive total.

3. Brilliant first two overs

Defending a total of 67, all Kohli could have asked for is a good start, which was given to him by his ever so dependable Bhuvneshwar Kumar-Jasprit Bumrah partnership. In-form opener Colin Munro hit a six in the very second ball, thereby making their intentions clear. But the comeback of India’s pace duo has been special. In the next 10 balls, they conceded 4 runs and picked up 2 wickets. While Kumar bowled a venomous knuckleball to dismiss Martin Guptill, Rohit Sharma took an impeccable catch off Bumrah’s bowling to end the dangerous Munro’s stay.

4. Yuzvendra Chahal’s economical two overs

In an 8-over a side match where the batters are swinging their bat at everything, a certain leggie from Haryana conceded just 8 runs in his 2 overs. Though the initial job was done by the Bhuvi-Bumrah duo, they needed support from the other bowlers to firm their hold on the game. But Chahal probably surpassed their performances. Though he hasn’t got a wicket to boast of, his enormously economical couple of overs certainly changed the complexion of the game.

5. Yet another home series win for India

Another series on home soil, another series pocketed by Kohli’s men. Things have certainly become monotonous for the Indian team, as the fans are enjoying their favourite team’s dominance over others and their supremacy in the game. India are in the right path for accomplishing what is their main mission- Numero Uno in all three formats of the game. After the Kangaroos, their noisy neighbours are done and dusted. Time to handle the Asian counterparts now. Bring it on, Lankans!