New Zealand vs India 2019: 3 Things we learned from the 1st ODI

India thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets to inflict the first cut of the series. The victory means that India have now won three matches on the trot while it was only the 2nd ODI loss for New Zealand this summer.

After winning the toss, the hosts decided to make first use of a good-looking pitch at Maclean Park. However, they got off to the worst possible start as Shami castled both their openers in a sensational new-ball burst.

Kane Williamson tried his best to restore some parity but he ran out of partners as none of Taylor, Nicholls, and Latham could give him company. The skipper eventually perished for 64 and the other batsmen fell like a pack of cards. Shami picked up three wickets while Kuldeep dented the New Zealand batting on four occasions.

In reply, India survived an initial onslaught by New Zealand before getting into their stride. Dhawan notched up an important fifty and was ably supported by Kohli. With four matches still to go, the hosts have ample time to come back strongly in the series while India would hope to extend their advantage in a couple of days’ time.

Through this article, we would look at three things we learned during the course of the game and the impact it might have on the matches ahead.

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#3. The ‘five-bowler policy’ might not work for New Zealand

New Zealand might just have erred on the side of caution

New Zealand was dealt a blow before the start of the ODI series as their premier all-rounder, James Neesham was ruled out. Hence, with their balance disrupted, the home side decided to strengthen their bowling rather than their batting.

Bracewell made his return to the fold and was accompanied by Santner. Though the latter was included to add batting depth, the former was primarily in the team for his swing-bowling abilities. Yet, with New Zealand failing so spectacularly with the bat, one was led to believe that the five-bowler strategy might not work a charm for the hosts.

Santner came into bat at No.7 and though he is an accomplished batsman, No.7 just seems a spot too high for the left-hander. Moreover, the lack of a genuine all-rounder in the lower order rid the likes of Williamson and Taylor of the proactive batting they are capable of.

New Zealand doesn’t possess a lower-order dasher and thus, their inability to score at a fast clip at the top would only lead to moderate scores. The hosts are sorely missing the services of Neesham and though they could be afforded a little leeway for the same, a lackluster display at Napier portrayed that they would be better off in ditching the plan of fielding five bowlers.

On Wednesday, New Zealand erred on the side of caution by picking an extra bowler. And as the match progressed, it became increasingly clear that they made the wrong call.

#2. Five genuine bowlers could be a viable option for India

Chahal impressed again

For years, India had been battling questions over the team’s balance with their apparent lack of a seam-bowling all-rounder throwing a spanner in their works. However, the emergence of Pandya accorded India freedom they hadn’t enjoyed for the better part of a decade.

Yet, with the all-rounder’s suspension, it seems to be a case of going back to the drawing board for India. In Australia, India were a little cautious and played Jadeja at the cost of Chahal. However, the former failed to inspire Down Under and was left out at Napier. The latter, on the other hand, made major in-roads into the opposition’s batting again, furthering his case for selection.

Additionally, Shami fulfilled his role to perfection. The pacer bowled with fire at the top and also came back to pick up a crucial wicket in the middle overs. The current bowling attack is missing its spearhead, Bumrah. However, the blend of wily pacers and skillful spinners has been doing the trick so far.

At Napier, India played Vijay Shankar as the fifth bowler and asked Jadhav to cover a few of his overs. Yet, one can’t help but wonder what damage a five-pronged Indian bowling attack could do to any batting line-up. Though the said tactic would lead to a notoriously long tail, the merits would surely offset the disadvantages.

If the Indian team actually takes up this idea is anyone’s guess right now. But, with every passing game, these bowlers are making themselves ‘un-droppable’. Thus, a five-bowler strategy doesn’t look as ludicrous as it sounds.

#1. Dhawan looks primed to have a sparkling series

Dhawan started the series with a bang

Shikhar Dhawan was sensational in the T20 Series in Australia at the tail-end of 2018. However, he endured a series to forget in the ODI format and failed to convert his starts.

Thus, he arrived in New Zealand with a huge question mark over his form. Yet, like many a time before, he silenced his critics with a superlative display of batting.

Though he was let off by Latham in the formative stage of his innings, Dhawan played an array of masterful strokes The cover drives, the square cuts and the flicks of the pads were flowing and he looked a far cry from the batsmen who struggled in Australia.

Moreover, Dhawan made a technical tweak which resulted in him staying a lot more leg-side of the ball. The change ensured that he didn’t play across the line and also corrected the issue of him falling over to an extent.

With the ball not expected to move a lot in the upcoming games as well, one can envisage the left-hander enjoying a prolific series.

Throughout his career, Dhawan has shown a tendency to score truckloads of runs when in form. Thus, don’t be surprised if the lad from Delhi creates a huge splash against New Zealand.