Shikhar Dhawan credits the bowlers for the equalizing win over New Zealand

After the shocking defeat at Mumbai, it became mandatory for India to win the 2nd ODI at Pune to level the 3-match ODI series. Thanks to some brilliant all-round bowling performances, India restricted the Kiwis to 230 and easily chased down the total with the help of innings from Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik.

The southpaw, in a recent interview, credited the bowlers for the 6-wicket win which opened up the series for a cracking series-deciding final ODI at Kanpur on 29th October.

“Absolutely, 230 is not too much in these times. The bowlers bowled really well and the fielders backed them up well. The bowlers had done half the job actually for us. The pressure of chasing 230 is naturally always less compared to chasing 300. It’s good we are on a winning run,” asserted Shikhar Dhawan according to Xtratime.

“There was no seam movement when India bowled and the Indian bowlers bowled very tight lines and did the job for us. We played their pacers better than they played our pacers,” further added the opener. Dhawan especially mentioned the efforts of Bhuvneshwar Kumar who picked up three vital wickets to put the visitors on the backfoot.

On Bhuvi

“He (Bhuvneshwar) has raised his bar and I feel he is at a very high level. His control over the bowling is very good. Not just at the start but other variations. Even when he bowls slower ball and knuckle ball he makes sure he lands it in the right areas,” claimed Bhuvi’s Sunrisers’ teammate.

Making an international comeback at the age of 32 is never easy but Tamil Nadu batsman, Dinesh Karthik, who was rewarded with a place in the ODI squad after scoring heaps of runs in Domestic cricket, showed no sign of nerves as he finished the game for India with his unbeaten innings of 64. Shikhar Dhawan also had a few words for the right-hander.

On DK

“About Dinesh, I will say that he has worked hard and scored so many runs in domestic (cricket) that he is being rewarded for that and has made a place in the team again. He is one of the best middle order player, with the skills and shots he has and he is proving himself,” commented Dhawan on Karthik.

“The way he played the knock today and in the last game when the team was in trouble, his 30-35 runs, were beneficial. When he bats, his strike rotation is good, which reduces pressure on the other batsman,” concluded Dhawan.