Indian captain Shubman Gil offered an honest assessment of his team’s shortcomings after India went down to New Zealand in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium. Despite a competitive total and early movement with the ball, India were unable to apply sustained pressure in the middle overs, a phase that Gill identified as the deciding factor in the match.
India builds strong platform but falls short of ideal total
After New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl, India made 284 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs. The innings was marked by a magnificent unbeaten century of KL Rahulwho once again demonstrated his composure under pressure. Gill, leading the side, played a smooth knock of 56, providing stability at the top while rotating the shot effectively.
However, India’s momentum slowed down slightly during the final phase. Although the surface remained good for the batters, the hosts could not take full advantage of the death. New Zealand coach Christian Clarke stood out with the ball, returning figures of 3 for 56 and preventing India from crossing the 300-run mark. Looking back, those who missed 15-20 races were important.
New Zealand dominates race thanks to partnerships
In response, New Zealand chased down the target with surprising comfort, reaching 286 for 3 in just 47.3 overs. The foundations were laid by a strong opening and middle-order display, with Will Young compiling a well-paced 87 that kept the scoreboard spinning.
The decisive performance, however, came from Daryl Mitchellwho remained unbeaten on a superb 131. Mitchell absorbed the pressure early on, rotated the strikes during the quieter phases, then accelerated expertly once settled, which made it seem like the Indian bowlers were increasingly running out of ideas as the innings wore on.
Also READ: Fans in awe as Daryl Mitchell’s stylish ton seals New Zealand’s victory against India in 2nd ODI
Shubman Gill reveals reasons behind India’s failure in the game
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Gill was not shy about pointing out where the match went wrong. He pointed out that the inability to bat in the middle overs proved decisive, especially with a defensive pitch in place.
“We couldn’t pick up wickets in the middle. With five fielders, if you don’t keep taking wickets in the middle, it becomes very difficult even if we would have added 15-20 more runs,” Gil said.
He also reflected on the changing nature of the terrain, noting that while assistance was provided early on, India failed to adapt its approach once conditions eased.
“In the first 10-15 overs, the ball was going a little bit. But after 20-25 overs, the wicket settled down. We could have been a little braver by playing in the middle overs and taken more chances,” he added, also highlighting the shortcomings that allowed New Zealand to maintain its momentum.
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