If Mahendra Singh Dhoni guides the team across the line, it looks good. But if he falls short, the lower order is left with too much to do
India’s captain MS Dhoni walks back to the pavilion after being dismissal for 39 by New Zealand’s Tim Southee at the Kotla in New Delhi yesterday. Pic/AFP
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New Delhi: The six-run victory in the second ODI at the Kotla here yesterday has not only ended New Zealand’s miserable run on the tour so far, but also has opened up the ODI series, with the third game at Mohali on Sunday.
After the Indian top-order came a cropper, it was left to the middle and lower order to bail the team out. Despite MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya’s determined effort, India fell cruelly short of pulling off a victory from the jaws of defeat.
Once the Indian skipper departed, Pandya launched a counterattack on the Kiwi bowling but fell in the penultimate over with victory in sight. It was too much to expect the last pair of Umesh Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah to see India across when eight runs were required off the final over. Tim Southee cleaned up Bumrah with a spot-on yorker to provide New Zealand their first win on the tour.
After the top four Indian batsmen had departed within the first 20 overs, including local lad Virat Kohli, the focus was entirely on Dhoni.
At his new batting position at No. 5 where he can control the innings rather than play the usual role of a finisher, the skipper had a chance to make a strong point.
But as is the case with Dhoni’s innings these days, if he guides the team across the line, it looks good. But if he falls short, the lower order is left with too much to do.
The latter was the case yesterday as his dismissal led to a couple of quick wickets that virtually seemed to have ended India’s challenge.
Lusty blows
But Pandya and Yadav raised India’s hopes again with some lusty blows, till they ran out of luck. Pandya’s dismissal to a tennis-like shot left the last pair to perform another small miracle.
But Southee’s pincher-like yorker ended India’s fightback to bring wide smiles on Kiwis’ faces for the first time on the tour.
After India had done well in restricting New Zealand to 242 for nine, it was expected that they would cruise to victory.
But cheap dismissals of Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Kohli and Manish Pandey (to an unnecessary run out) for the first time on the current tour, gave Kiwis the upper hand. It also, not the first time in his long career, put the burden on Dhoni of seeing the team through.
He had to ensure that not only did he did not lose his wicket, but also not allow the required run-rate to go out of hand. His fifth partnership of 66 runs with Kedar Jadhav got the innings going, till Jadhav glided a wide one into the ’keeper’s hand.
Jadhav impresses
Jadhav clubbed two sixes and two fours in his 41 and was impressive till he lasted. But has he done enough to insure him place if unwell Suresh Raina returns for the third game in Mohali on Sunday?
Once Jadhav departed it was imperative for Dhoni to bat right through. But he departed in a rather tame manner, edging off his pad for Tim Southee to take a return catch.
Then came the Pandya-Yadav partnership that raised the hopes only to be doused in the final few deliveries.
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