India vs New Zealand 2019: 4 Reasons why India dominated in the 2nd ODI

India were clinical once again in the second ODI as they completely outplayed the Kiwis at Mount Maunganui. The Kiwis were below par in all three departments as they lost the game by 90 runs.

Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first as he wanted to test the batting while setting a score. India went in with an unchanged XI while the Blackcaps made two changes in their line-up. Batting first, Sharma and Dhawan put up a 154 run opening partnership.

Some useful contributions from Kohli, Rayudu, Dhoni and Kedar helped India post a huge total of 324-4. New Zealand started the chase decently but they kept losing wickets at regular intervals as they were bundled out for 234 in 40.2 overs.

With back to back wins, India now leads the series by a margin of 2-0. The Indians will be just looking to carry on the momentum in the next game and seal the series.

On the other hand, New Zealand will have to make a comeback if they want to remain in the hunt to win the series. Let’s have a look at four reasons why India dominated the 2nd ODI.

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#1 An excellent opening partnership

Rohit and Shikhar set the tone

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan showed why they are rated so highly as a deadly opening combo. They gave a brilliant start to the team in the 2nd ODI as they put up an opening partnership of 154 that was quicker than run a ball.

This was their 14th century stand together and they are slowly and steadily climbing the ladder for most opening century stands.

Dhawan carried on from where he left at Napier in the first ODI as he looked really good during his innings of 66. On the other hand, Rohit took his time initially but later on covered it up as he scored 87 off 96 balls.

Both of them were excellent in the first ten overs as they hit a boundary almost every over. That didn’t allow the bowlers to settle and as a result, they went for runs.

The opening partnership of 154 set the perfect platform for India to make a big score.

#2 Good finish in the death overs

Dhoni and Kedar finished off the proceedings in style

The openers had set the platform for the middle-order batsmen to launch the innings and get a big score. The middle-order played that role almost to perfection.

Kohli and Rayudu contributed with almost run-a-ball 40s in the middle overs. With wickets in hand, the Indian batsmen took on the bowlers and scored 86 runs in the last 10 overs.

Dhoni played a brilliant inning of 48 off just 33 balls with a strike-rate of 145.45 that included five fours and one big hit. Kedar Jadhav chipped in with a quick 22 off just 10 balls with three fours and one six. Both of these finishers smashed 14 runs off the penultimate and 21 off the last over bowled by Boult and Ferguson respectively.

They put up a 53-run partnership in just 27 balls. This acceleration allowed India to reach the total of 324 which later on turned to be too good for the Blackcaps.

#3 NZ batsmen not capitalizing on the starts

Only one batsman crossed the 50 mark for the blackcaps

Most of the Kiwi batsman got a start and were looking good for a big score. Both the openers had reached the double figures and had faced a decent amount of deliveries but both of them failed to capitalize on the start. Guptill went for big one whereas Munro played a completely unorthodox shot to lose his wicket.

Kane Williamson was also looking good as he smashed two sixes and a four off the Shami over in which he eventually got out. Same was the case with Taylor and Latham. Both of them had got to a good score and should have carried on to make a big score.

Taylor and Latham form the backbone of the middle-order and when they got out it looked almost impossible for NZ to win the game.

Nicholas had the same story as he too got out in the 20s. Bracewell was the only batsman who scored a fifty for his team.

#4 Indian spinners do it once again

The spin duo picked up a combined total of 6 wickets

Once again the Indian spinners spun a web around the Kiwi batsmen as they failed to read them. Kuldeep was the highest taker as he picked up four wickets for just 45 runs.

Chahal got the wicket of Colin Munro who was looking set on 31 and came back to take the last wicket of Ferguson. Kedar Jadhav too chipped in with the important wicket of Ross Taylor although Taylor’s wicket was more about MS Dhoni’s quick stumping rather than Kedar Jadhav’s bowling.

The Kuldeep-Chahal combo once again showed us as to how wickets in the middle overs can change the game. Both the spinners are picking wickets in the middle overs for quite a while now. The spinners were well supported by the pacers as Bhuvi and Shami picked up three wickets between them.

The all-round bowling effort was one of the main reasons as to why India dominated the second ODI.