Anil Kumble was back at his favourite venue Feroz Shah Kotla but this time as the national coach. With the 1990s legend in the background, it was sort of surreal and transported us back to that era where 240-250 runs were considered as challenging totals. Quite agonisingly India lost the thriller at Kotla by six runs, handing New Zealand their first win in this tour and a win against the hosts in their own den after 13 long years. It was Kane Williamson’s masterful 118 that helped New Zealand’s otherwise listless batting to 243 and their bowlers led by Trent Boult came to the rescue act later. Despite the defeat, there were positives for hosts who displayed brilliance in patches and Suvajit Mustafi picks four bright spots from the Indian camp. Full Cricket Scorecard: India vs New Zealand 2nd ODI at Delhi
Jasprit Bumrah: Only 22, Bumrah has shown tremendous maturity as a bowler. The Gujarat boy, who rose through the IPL ranks benefitted from the presence of Lasith Malinga in the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp. Right since his international debut in January earlier this year to date, Bumrah has emerged as one of the vital cogs in India’s limited-overs line-up. His ODI bowling average reads 12.93 and economy rate 3.36. In Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) he has already shot up to the second spot in the ICC bowlers ranking.
Just a couple of months old in the international arena, Bumrah has already developed as one of the best death bowlers in world cricket. The other names we can recall for a comparison is Mitchell Starc, MustafizurRahman and of course a fit Malinga.
Williamson, who stood tall among the New Zealand batting ruins, played Indian bowlers with relative ease but it was a Bumrah-yorker that had floored him. They were 224 for 6 after 45 overs, and with all-rounders Anton Devcich and Mitchell Santner at the crease, they eyed 270 at least. Bumrah’s spell in the death read: 3-0-10-3.
No Indian bowler except Zaheer Khan in his early days has bowled yorkers with such precision. Bumrah was exceptional with his cutters, change of pace and those darting yorkers that accounted for the wickets of Devcich, Tim Southee and Matt Henry, who are quite capable of clearing ropes. He finished with 10-0-35-3. ALSO READ: Kiwis win thriller by 6 runs, level series 1-1
Watch @akshar2026‘s marvellous catch @Paytm ODI Trophy #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/QBT53v691a
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 20, 2016
While Akshar Patel took a stunner at short fine-leg to send back Devcich, it was the change of pace that outfoxed the batsman and committed him to the mistake and Southee, the man who scored a brisk fifty in the first ODI, was castled by an unplayable yorker. It is a different story and Southee returned the favours to his MI teammate when India were seven short of their target and had Bumrah on strike. Southee bowled a lethal yorker to castle India’s No.11 and seal the win.
Watch Bumrah’s spell here: http://www.bcci.tv/videos/id/2921/ind-vs-nz-2016-2nd-odi-jasprit-bumrahs-335
Kedar Jadhav: Team management now has a happy selection dilemma. If Suresh Raina has to walk into this team then who will replace? For years, Kedar has been unlucky with selection. Brilliant at domestic level, opportunities have been limited for the Maharashtra skipper and whenever he has got chances he has delivered. Had Raina been fit, Kedar would not have played but one’s misfortune becomes an opportunity for another and this little man grabbed it to his advantage.
Known as a middle-order batsman and part-time wicketkeeper, not many were aware of his off-spinning abilities. In the first ODI, his double strikes in an over put New Zealand on the back foot and even in Delhi, he dismissed a well-set Tom Latham at a stage when the visitors were cruising and looked set for a total in excess of 320. That was Kedar, the off-spinner.
He came out to bat with India reeling at 73 for 4 in the 20th over. With skipper MS Dhoni at the other end, the order for the pair was not just a big partnership but also at a brisk rate. Kedar responded to the occasion with a fine hand of 41 from just 37 balls, adding 66 for the fifth wicket. He took calculative risks and showed no apprehensions to use his feet. His knock was taking the game away from the Kiwis till he looked to a play a cheeky shot. In an attempt to dab Henry a bit too fine towards the third-man boundary, Kedar steered it straight to the wicketkeeper. Though the improvisation was right but some extra bounce got the better of him. His dismissal hampered India’s run-rate.
Hardik Pandya: Every time a fast bowling all-rounder walks out to play for India, the expectation is: ‘Is he the next KapilDev?’ The expectation from Pandya was no different when the 23-year-old made this international debut in Australia. In the months that followed, we got a good idea about him. The talent definitely is there, so is commitment but could he curb down his over excitement and be more disciplined?
He definitely is a changed man. The overambitious and carefree lad seems to have made way to a more disciplined individual. Pandya bowled India to a win at Dharamsala on his ODI debut on Sunday and once again produced a disciplined effort with the ball at Delhi, giving away 45 runs from his 9 overs.
Walking out to bat at No.8, Pandya almost won India the game. He was new to the crease when he lost Akshar and Amit Mishra in quick succession and the score read 183 for 8. India needed 60 from 53 balls and he had UmeshYadav as his partner.
Pandya curbed down his natural instincts of going after everything and produced a mature knock. He took the open gaps on the field to his advantage and ran quick singles and doubles. When the field was up he went in the air. He tried to hit a short pitched delivery from Boult down the ground but the extra-bounce beat him as he managed a top-edge, which flew to Santner at the sweeper boundary. Thus, Pandya’s 32-ball 36 resistance ended.
Umesh Yadav: This has been a torrid tour for Martin Guptill, one of the limited-overs cricket giant. Kotla could have changed things but did it? One has to feel for the Kiwi opener. Second ball of the match, he receives the unplayable. At 140 kph it came at the good length, angled in but the ball swung away, beat his outside and thudded to the off-stump. UmeshYadav strikes.
Experienced but with a reputation to be eccentric with his line and length, Umesh has been all about of glimpses of brilliance amidst major disappointments. He has a good action, good pace and can produce deliveries like the one that got Guptill and therefore with the ‘hope’ tag attached to him, he has been persisted with.
With the absence of Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh finds himself in an unusual position as the leader of the pacer pack and he has delivered so far. His discipline has been comforting. In Dharamsala, he bowled to a plan, an aspect that was hardly seen in his bowling since ICC World Cup 2015.
He followed up his 2 for 31 at Dharamsala with 9-0-42-1 in Delhi. A very good athlete, Umesh has been brilliant on the field. His 49-run stand for the ninth wicket with Pandya almost won India the match.
He showed tremendous maturity for a no.10 batsman and not trying anything foolish, he gleefully played the second fiddle to Pandya. He could have won India the game had he got more strike in the final over and has to be content with his fighting 23-ball 18 not out. A sensible Umesh can go on to be an asset for Team India.
(Suvajit Mustafi 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)
Written by 
