New Zealand were playing the catching up game throughout the ODI series. The Test series ended with a 3-0 whitewash where New Zealand produced good fight in the first two Tests but lost steam in the final match at Indore. The same script ensued in ODIs as well. Coming in to the decider at Visakhapatnam, the series stood level 2-2. Though India were the better side but New Zealand won some crucial moments which helped them emerge on top. Here was an opportunity for them to end the series on a high note but that was not to be.
The cyclone threat did not play a role but it was Amit Mishra‘s hurricane spell rather that rattled the Kiwis and forced them to a 190-run defeat, their biggest against India. Having lost a crucial toss, New Zealand batted for second for the first time in the tournament and all they managed was 79. From 63 for 2, they lost 8 wickets for 16 runs. Mishra’s 5 for 18 from 6 overs won him the Man of the Match, and his tally of 15 scalps won him the Man of the Series. New Zealand go home empty handed, only with a bucket full of memorabilia that they were presented during the momentous occasions. Suvajit Mustafi rates the Kiwi performances in the ODI series in a scale of 10.
Tom Latham, 8/10: New Zealand’s find of the series has to be Latham. The tour marked the rise of the talented youngster to the next level. Latham impressed with his classical strokes, strong sweep shot, reminding us the traditional ODI opener from the 1990s. Latham’s consistency was exceptional and the way he adopted to the conditions in his first ever tour to India set him apart. He benefitted from the fact that he was relatively at ease during the Test series. However, his failure to convert starts did not help the tourist.
Latham was very good in the field too and took three catches as well.
ODIs: 5 | Runs: 244 | HS: 79* | Ave: 61.00 | SR: 89.37 | 100s: 0 | 50s: 2 | Catches: 3
Trent Boult, 7/10:He bowled with a lot of heart. The conditions weren’t the tailor-made for his style of bowling but the left-armer chipped in with key wickets and crucial overs in the death. He could have made a difference had he played in helpful conditions in Dharamsala. In the next ODI, his inspiring spell of 2 for 25 in 10 overs played a crucial role in New Zealand’s victory.
Boult was impressive with his fielding too. The numbers do not really reflect how much has this young pacer tried.
ODIs:4 | Wickets: 6 | Bowling Ave:33.00 | BB:2-25 | Econ R: 4.99
Kane Williamson, 7/10:This was Williamson’s toughest challenge as the skipper. The backbone of New Zealand’s batting, the side was heavily reliant on Williamson, who wasn’t at his consistency best. He did get starts but failed to convert them.
In the final ODI, Williamson’s wicket triggered the infamous collapse. Apart from his hundred at Delhi, he failed to make his starts count in other innings, which hurt New Zealand gravely. However his captaincy was impressive especially reading the conditions and situations.
ODIs: 5 | Runs: 211 | HS: 118 | Ave: 42.20 || SR: 80.22 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 0
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Tim Southee, 6.5/10: New Zealand missed his services in the Test series but he often bowled the game defining deliveries in this series. Rohit Sharma struggled against Southee and often bowled with distinction in the end overs. He ended the series as New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker but the numbers could have been better.In the first ODI, Southee struck his maiden half century in ODIs and bailed New Zealand out of deep waters.
ODIs:5 | Wickets:7 | Bowling Ave:37.14 | BB:2-25 | Econ R: 5.47| Runs:77 | HS: 55 | Ave: 19.25 | SR: 113.23
Mitchell Santner, 6/10:He may have picked just 3 wickets but Santner ended the series with an economy rate of 4. A trier, he gave it all with his fielding too but batting is an area where there is a score for improvement. New Zealand’s middle-order was a failure this series and Santner in his first India tour missed out on an opportunity to prove his mettle with bat. He is young and this tour was a great learning experience.
ODIs:5 | Wickets:3 | Bowling Ave:61.33 | BB:1-36 | Econ R: 4.00| Runs:37 | HS: 17* | Ave: 12.33 | SR: 69.81
Matt Henry, 6/10:Unfortunate to just play in 2 matches as New Zealand looked to get their balance right. Had Ross Taylor not dropped ViratKohli off his bowling at Mohali, New Zealand may had won the series as the Indian stalwart made use of that chance and belted a match-winning 154 not out. Henry bowled with a lot of heart in conditions that wasn’t tailor-made for his style of bowling. In Mohali, he was involved in a crucial 84-run stand for the ninth wicket along with Jimmy Neesham as New Zealand recovered to 285 after struggling at 199 for 8 at one point.
ODIs:2 | Wickets:3 | Bowling Ave:35.66 | BB:2-56 | Econ R: 5.53| Runs:45 | HS: 39* | Ave: 45.00 | SR: 91.83
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Martin Guptill, 4.5/10:The New Zealand opener was one of the biggest disappointments this series. He kept falling to UmeshYadav’s traps early on and unfortunately was on the receiving end of some of the best deliveries bowled in this series. Though he got two ducks, he did score a match-winning 72 at Ranchi. A dangerous cricketer with the white ball, Guptill bowled one over in the Delhi ODI, which swung the game in New Zealand’s favour. He was also brilliant in the field.
ODIs: 5 | Runs: 111 | HS: 72 | Ave: 22.20| SR: 90.98| 50s: 1 | Wickets:2 | Bowling Ave:3.00 | BB:2-6 | Econ R: 6.00
Jimmy Neesham, 4/10:The all-rounder had a very good game in Mohali when his half century rescued New Zealand to 285, as at one point even 200 looked difficult. Other than that he was a huge disappointment with the bat. He wasn’t threatening enough with the ball. Indians had a merry time against his gentle medium pacers.
ODIs: 4 | Runs: 76 | HS: 57 | Ave: 19.00| SR: 80.85 | 50s: 1 | Wickets:4 | Bowling Ave:42.00 | BB:2-38| Econ R: 6.22
IshSodhi, 3/10:Post his ICC World T20 2016 heroics, a lot was expected from the young leggie. Indian batsmen had a gala time against his bowling. He failed to maintain pressure and whenever the run rate seemed to drop, the order was ‘go after Sodhi’. The only solace that he can draw from this series is the fact that he dismissed Kohli twice.
ODIs:3 | Wickets:4 | Bowling Ave:38.00 | BB:2-66 | Econ R: 6.28
Anton Devcich,3/10:Apart from keeping the run flow tight in Delhi, Devcich had little role to play in this series. He was a failure with the bat and did not claim a single wicket either. An all-rounders job is to excel in at least two departments but he failed to shine in even one.
ODIs: 2| Runs: 18 | HS: 11 | Ave: 9.00| SR: 105.88|Wickets:0 | Econ R: 5.38
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Ross Taylor, 2/10:A flop in the Test series, Taylor continued his dismal show in the ODI series too. For someone with his experience, he was expected to be the fulcrum of this inexperienced middle-order alongside Williamson. His poor show added pressure on Williamson who too crumbed most of the times. It was not just the case of him scoring the big runs but he also struggled and made batting look difficult. Adding to his woes with the willow, Taylor was terrible in the field, dropping key catches. It was baffling to see that someone with that kind of experience and record fail so miserably. Are we witnessing a great downfall? Hope not.
ODIs: 5 | Runs: 119 | HS: 44 | Ave: 23.80 | SR: 62.63
BJ Watling, 2/10:Known for his solid technique, Watling failed to score in the two innings that he got to play. He was brought into the side to add solidity to New Zealand’s faltering middle-order but the move did not help. In the fifth ODI, he was done was a Mishra ripper, a googly that he did not read at all.
ODIs: 2 | Runs: 14 | HS: 14 | Ave: 7.00 | SR: 60.86 | Dismissals: 2
Corey Anderson, 1/10: The all-rounder carries massive reputation. The owner of the record for the second fastest ODI hundred, Anderson is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball. Having a decent IPL experience behind him, Anderson was expected to shine with the bat but his struggles contributed to the overall middle-order failure. At crucial junctures, he gave away his wicket to silly shots. Amongst the bowlers with more than 50 ODI wickets, Anderson before the decider held the record for possessing the best bowling strike-rate. An injury prevented him from bowling in the earlier games and when he did at Visakhapatnam, he did not look threatening at all and failed to bag a wicket, which again is a rarity.
ODIs: 4 | Runs: 31 | HS: 21 | Ave: 7.75 | SR: 53.44|Wickets:0 | Econ R:6.75
Luke Ronchi, 1/10:Ronchi started the tour well and showed good form in the Test series but as days progressed, his struggles against spin was apparent. Coming in with a lot of experience and possessing abilities to score at a brisk pace, Ronchi was a big failure. He was good behind the stumps but mindless shot selections resulted in the following numbers that eventually saw him lose his place.
ODIs: 3 | Runs: 7 | HS: 6 | Ave: 2.33 | SR: 41.17 | Dismissals:4
Doug Bracewell (not rated):Bracewell was a surprise pick at Dharamsala when New Zealand decided to rest Boult and Henry. The move was surprising as Bracewell had not played a part in the Test series and the rested bowlers were their best ones considering the helpful conditions. Bracewell did not do bad. His contributed with a vital 15 at a time when New Zealand ran the risk of being bowled out within 100 and later picked the wicket of Rohit Sharma, giving away 44 from his 8 overs. New Zealand lost the game and Bracewell his place. It will be unfair to rate him on one performance.
(SuvajitMustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sportsmarketer , strategist, entrepreneur, philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)
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