Shubman Gill Identifies Middle-Over Bowling as India's Critical Weakness
India captain Shubman Gill expressed clear disappointment after his team's seven-wicket loss to New Zealand in the second ODI at Rajkot. Gill highlighted a specific tactical failure that proved costly for the hosts. He pointed directly to the bowlers' inability to secure wickets during the crucial middle overs of the match.
Missed Opportunities and a Sluggish Pitch
Speaking after the game at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, Gill analyzed the defeat. "We couldn't pick up any wickets in the middle overs," he stated frankly. "With five fielders in, if you don't keep taking wickets in the middle overs, it becomes very difficult even if we would have added 15-20 more runs."
Gill explained the challenge on the Rajkot pitch. He noted that once a partnership develops, stopping a set batsman becomes a huge task. "On these kind of wickets, you know, as soon as you have a partnership, the set batsman has to make it big because it's not easy for the batsman coming in to score freely," he added.
The captain also reflected on the team's overall approach with the ball. "In the first 10-15 overs, the ball was doing a little bit. We could have been more brave with the bowling," Gill admitted. He connected this to previous performances, saying, "Even in the last match, we let down a couple of chances."
New Zealand's Clinical Chase and Mitchell's Masterclass
New Zealand demonstrated superior adaptation and execution on the slow surface. They restricted India to 284 for 7 in their 50 overs. This total came despite a fighting unbeaten century from KL Rahul, who scored 112 runs from just 91 balls, hitting 9 fours and 1 six.
The Kiwis then chased down the target with relative ease, reaching 286 for 3 in 47.3 overs. The victory leveled the three-match series at 1-1, setting up a decisive final ODI in Indore.
Daryl Mitchell played a patient and match-winning innings for New Zealand. He scored an unbeaten 131 runs from 117 deliveries, an innings decorated with 11 fours and 2 sixes. This marked his third ODI century against India and his eighth overall.
Mitchell found solid support from Will Young. Young contributed a steady 87 runs from 98 balls, including 7 boundaries. Their second-wicket partnership was the foundation of the chase. They added 162 runs together from 152 balls, maintaining control even as the required run rate stayed above six per over.
Broader Concerns for Indian Cricket
New Zealand's comfortable win in the 50-over format has reignited discussions about a persistent issue for India. For nearly two years, the home team's spin attack has occasionally been outmatched by visiting teams, particularly in Test cricket. While this problem has been more evident in the longer format, the Rajkot performance raises questions about its spillover into white-ball cricket.
The series now moves to a winner-takes-all scenario. All eyes will be on Indore for the third and final ODI, where India will aim to address the middle-over bowling concerns highlighted by their captain.
