Mitchell, Young help New Zealand level ODI series with India
Rajkot: Indian spinners were out-bowled on home turf once again and KL Rahul’s unbeaten ton was eclipsed by Daryl Mitchell’s splendid 131 not out as New Zealand levelled the three-match series 1-1 with a seven-wicket win in the second ODI here on Wednesday.
New Zealand not only adapted but also executed better than India on a sluggish wicket here at
the Niranjan Shah Stadium to keep the hosts to 284/7 despite Rahul’s 91-ball 112 not out (9 fours, 1 six), and overhauled the target in 47.3 overs to end at 286 for three.
The series-deciding third ODI will be played in Indore on Sunday.
Will Young and Mitchell, among the architects of New Zealand’s 3-0 Test series win over India on their previous visit, batted with poise and control even as the asking rate hovered over six an over.
They cruised at a little above five during their second-wicket association which consumed 152 balls for 162 runs, and there wasn’t any late hiccup to prevent a turnaround.
Young’s (87 from 98 balls; 7 fours) solidity in the middle was complemented by the adroitness of Mitchell, who brought out almost all kinds of sweep shots to notch up his third ton against India and overall eighth, finishing at 131 not out from 117 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes).
New Zealand’s triumph in a 50-overs match also took the spotlight back onto a problem which India have faced in Tests for about two years now, with the home team’s
spin attack being outmatched by that of the visitors, albeit that’s been mostly in red-ball cricket.
Debutant left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox, summoned on this trip as replacement of Mitchell Santner, kept a tight leash on
Indian batters returning 10-0-42-1 while Kuldeep Yadav (10-0-82-1) kept bowling short and failed to give the ball a flight despite repeated messages from Rahul behind the wickets. And when Kuldeep did give it a flight and forced a mishit, Prasidh Krishna dropped a regulation chance at long-on in the 36th over to give Mitchell a lifeline on 80.
