New Zealand’s batting dominance ensures victory in the series decider
Asked to bat first at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, New Zealand posted an imposing 337 for 8 in their 50 overs. The basis of the total was a huge partnership of 219 runs for the fourth wicket in between Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Mitchell scored an impressive 137 while Phillips complemented him with a fluent 106, dismantling India’s bowling plans during the middle and death overs.
For India, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana were the standout performers, taking three wickets each. However, the lack of control from the rest of the bowling unit allowed New Zealand to maintain momentum throughout the innings.
In response, India’s chase never really gained traction after the early losses at the top. Virat Kohli once again held his own, scoring a brilliant 124 and anchoring the innings. He got support from Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Harshit Rana (52), but the required percentage kept rising as partnerships failed to blossom.
India were eventually bowled out for 296, giving New Zealand a famous 41-run win and sealing a historic series win. The defeat led to post-match analysis, with the focus on India’s middle-overs bowling and Jadeja’s role at that stage.
A closer look at Ravindra Jadeja’s ODI performances
Jadeja endured a tough series and struggled to make an impact with either bat or ball. Across the three ODIs, the experienced all-rounder scored just 43 runs and failed to take a single wicket, conceding 141 runs in the 25 overs he bowled.
In the opening ODI in Vadodara, Jadeja scored 56 runs in nine overs. He followed that with figures of 44 runs in eight overs in Rajkot, before conceding 41 runs from six overs in Indore, where he was only introduced in the 30th over. These returns raised concerns about his ability to control and influence the middle overs.
Zaheer Khan: “Containment is no longer enough”
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Zaheer highlighted how the ODI format has evolved, especially during the middle overs. According to him, bowlers can no longer afford to play a purely restrictive role.
“The ODI format has changed. You can’t just be a bowler in the middle overs,” Zaheer said. He added that teams are now looking at this phase as an opportunity to shift the momentum, making wicket-taking a crucial requirement. Zaheer emphasized that Jadeja needs to focus on being more aggressive and impactful with the ball in ODIs.
“Everyone sees that phase as an opportunity to change the momentum, so you can’t just control it; you also have to be aggressive and take wickets. Ravindra Jadeja needs to focus on that aspect of his game in ODI,” the former India pacer added.
Ajinkya Rahane: “Can become predictable”
Ajinkya Rahane expressed similar concerns, suggesting that Jadeja’s lack of variety has made it easier for him to line up. Rahane noted that bowling at a similar pace, especially with just one fielder outside the circle, allows batters to settle down.
He contrasted Jadeja’s approach with that of Axar Patel and highlighted how changes in pace, angles and use of the crease can disrupt batters.
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“In ODIs you have to have variations. While Jadeja is a proven performer in all conditions, he bowls at a similar pace and can become predictable. With just one fielder on the track, if a bowler maintains the same speed, it becomes easy for the batsman. With Axar, he has variations; he changes his pace and uses the angles at the crease very well. So there is healthy competition, and I am sure Jadeja understands this because he knows his game well.” said Rahane.
Rahane also underlined the importance of evolving with the conditions, stating that while Jadeja is deadly on turning tracks, flatter wickets require adaptability and new plans.
“Jadeja likes to keep his game simple with the ball. But you have to evolve based on the conditions. On a winding track he is deadly. But on a flat wicket he will have to adapt and come up with other plans, using the angles better,” added the ex-India Test captain.
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