Virat Kohli Can't Help Win Every India vs New Zealand Match: Sunil Gavaskar
Virat Kohli has been in stunning form in the India vs New Zealand ODI series, but his 45 in the Ranchi ODI wasn't enough as the home team middle-order failed in a tricky chase
- NDTV Sports
- Updated: October 27, 2016 02:02 PM IST
Highlights
- New Zealand beat India to level ODI series 2-2
- India failed to chase a target of 261
- Virat Kohli's 45 was not enough as India's middle-order failed
India lost their first ODI match in Ranchi on Wednesday night. New Zealand won by 19 runs to level the five-match series 2-2 after India's lower middle-order collapsed in a tricky chase under lights. Virat Kohli's 45 wasn't enough as Kiwi bowlers choked the home team batsmen in the final stages of the match.
India shuffled their batting order. Skipper MS Dhoni batted at No. 4 and failed. He was bowled by Jimmy Nesham for 11. Opener Ajinkya Rahane was India's best bat, scoring 57 off 70 balls, but Kohli's dismissal in the 20th over (India 98/2) left the hosts a lot to do.
"Virat Kohli can't always win you a match," Sunil Gavaskar told NDTV, clearly not amused at India's 'experiment' with the batting order.
Axar Patel's promotion ahead of specialised batsmen like Manish Pandey and Kedhav did not go down well with Gavaskar.
Although Patel scored 38 off 40 balls, Gavaskar feels promoting the bowling all-rounder to No. 5 "does not send good signal to Pandey and Jadhav, who are in the team as batsmen."
Gavaskar blamed India's poor start and the failure of the middle order as major reasons for defeats.
"When Dhoni has to bat at No. 4 and there is no faith in No. 5 and 6, then India need to worry considerably. You can't depend on Virat Kohli bailing you out every time. It looks like if Virat fails the others are not being able to handle the pressure."
Gavaskar said India's bowling needs to improve if they have to clinch the series decider in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.
Hardik Pandya and Dhawal Kulkrni not completing their full quotas and a part-timer Kedar Jadhav bowling more overs are not great signs, said Gavaskar.