What did captain Shubman Gill blame for the defeat?

Rajkot: In the second ODI, the Indian team had a golden opportunity to win the series, but New Zealand’s batsmen dashed India’s hopes. New Zealand won the match by 7 wickets on the strength of Daryl Mitchell’s excellent inning of 131 runs. With this defeat, the three-match ODI series is now tied at 1-1. Even KL Rahul’s brilliant century could not lead the team to victory and his hard work went in vain.

weak performance of bowlers

The performance of Indian bowlers was disappointing in this match. Especially in the middle overs, when the team desperately needed wickets, the Indian bowlers were seen struggling without wickets. Taking advantage of this, New Zealand’s batsmen made a good start and strengthened their hold in the match. Relatively, spin bowlers were expected to get wickets, but they did not succeed in creating pressure, due to which it was not possible to restrict the run rate.

Shubman Gill’s comment

After the match, Indian captain Shubman Gill said that one of the main reasons for the defeat was the lack of wickets in the middle overs. He said that when wickets do not fall during this period, it is very difficult to stop the runs, even if the team adds 15 to 20 runs to the score. He also told that in the middle overs the team had five fielders inside the circle, yet wickets could not be taken. In such a situation, it is very difficult for the batsman to get set.

‘Need for aggressive bowling’

Shubman Gill further said that once a partnership is formed on such pitches, it becomes easier for the set batsman to play long innings. At the same time, it is not so easy for a new batsman to play big shots in the beginning. He admitted that there was little movement on the ball in the first 10 to 15 overs and the bowlers should have bowled more aggressively at that time. But, the team failed to take advantage of that opportunity.

Fielding shortage and defeat

The captain also blamed poor fielding for the defeat. He admitted that important catches were missed in this match, which gave New Zealand an opportunity to make a comeback and they took advantage of it well. It is clear from the statements of Shubman Gill that the Indian team needs to improve on many aspects in the future matches. In particular, improvement in wicket-taking strategy, bowlers’ thinking and fielding in the middle overs is extremely essential.