Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar admitted he felt quite surprised by New Zealand's performance in the second ODI. The visitors secured a convincing victory in Rajkot, leveling the three-match series. This result has significant implications for the final game scheduled in Indore.
Gavaskar's Reaction to the Rajkot Defeat
Gavaskar shared his thoughts during an appearance on JioHotstar's 'Amul Cricket Live'. He confessed his initial expectations differed from the actual outcome. "I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got across the line," Gavaskar stated. He explained that before the chase began, many observers believed India would capitalize on the pitch's slow nature.
The legendary batsman elaborated on his pre-match assessment. "With their bowlers, not just the spinners, but all of them, using the slowness of the surface well, it felt like India would be able to restrict New Zealand to around 260 or 270," he said. Gavaskar thought that target would have given India a straightforward victory. New Zealand's comfortable chase overturned those predictions completely.
Praise for Mitchell and Young's Partnership
Gavaskar specifically highlighted the crucial partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Will Young. Their 162-run stand effectively took the game away from India. He commended their composed approach under pressure.
"I think they showed how a near-300 run total can be chased down," Gavaskar observed. He noted their method involved taking time to settle initially, then backing their stroke-making ability and running between the wickets. Mitchell remained unbeaten on 131 runs, while Young contributed 87 valuable runs to the successful chase.
Pressure Mounts on India for Series Decider
The former captain pointed out that India now faces increased pressure heading into the third ODI. The series-levelling result has eliminated any room for experimentation with team combinations. Gavaskar explained the missed opportunity clearly.
"Had they won this game, they would have had the freedom to experiment a little," he said. Gavaskar mentioned that potential changes could have included giving opportunities to players who haven't featured so far. Someone like young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal might have received a chance in Indore if the series had already been decided.
"All of that might have been possible," Gavaskar continued. "But now they can't take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again." His comments underline the high stakes surrounding the final match of the series.
Doull Analyzes Mitchell's Dominant Innings
Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull also shared his perspective on the match. He praised Daryl Mitchell's exceptional knock, particularly how he handled India's spin attack. Mitchell successfully took on both Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja during his innings.
"Mitchell's got some very good numbers against India," Doull noted. He highlighted the batsman's versatile approach against spin bowling. "We see it time and again, the reverse sweeps, using his feet. Very early on against Kuldeep, he came down the wicket and put him under pressure in his first over."
Doull explained that this aggressive move affected Kuldeep's performance. "From that moment, Kuldeep lost his length slightly, which doesn't happen often." The statistics reflected this dominance, with Kuldeep conceding 82 runs in his 10 overs while taking just one wicket. Jadeja also proved expensive, giving away 44 runs without claiming a wicket in eight overs.
The commentator detailed Mitchell's comprehensive skill set. "Even against Jadeja, he played him really well. The fact that he can come down the pitch, use his feet, hit over the top, or stay aggressive and play shots on both sides of the ground, with the reverse sweeps, the back-foot shots, everything in his armoury, shows his confidence."
Pressure Dynamics for the Final Match
Doull agreed with Gavaskar's assessment about pressure distribution before the decider. He believes New Zealand enters the final game with less burden compared to the hosts. "Of the two sides, New Zealand are the one not under pressure going into the final game," Doull stated.
However, he also acknowledged India's historical resilience in such situations. "India generally respond pretty well to pressure; they still have key players in the side, and they know how to handle these situations," Doull remarked. He struck a more optimistic note regarding the home team's capabilities.
"They understand how to win game three or game five of a series when it’s all levelled up," he added. Still, Doull emphasized New Zealand's potential motivation. "But New Zealand have nothing to lose. They have never won an ODI series in this country, so this would be a good time to start."
The stage is now set for an exciting conclusion to the ODI series. Both teams will bring their best efforts to Indore, with India seeking to defend their home record and New Zealand aiming for a historic series victory on Indian soil.
