'They outplayed us': Gill's honest admission after NZ series loss
What's the story
India's captain Shubman Gill has admitted that his team was outplayed by New Zealand in the recently concluded ODI series. The Kiwis, who won two of the three games, clinched their first-ever series win against India in India, ending a 37-year wait. This defeat comes just over 16 months after India's Test team was whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand in a three-match series.
Admission
Gill acknowledges team's shortcomings in series
Gill acknowledged that India had a strong enough side to beat New Zealand but conceded they were outplayed in all departments. "We were a good enough side to beat them in the series, but they outplayed us - whether in bowling, batting or fielding," he said after the match. The captain also highlighted India's struggle in middle overs throughout the series as a major concern.
Bowling woes
India's middle-overs bowling performance under scrutiny
India's middle-overs bowling was a major concern in the series, with the team conceding 191 runs for just one wicket on Sunday. The overall numbers for this phase were 90 overs, eight wickets at an average of 68.37 and a strike rate of 67.5. Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav's performances were also questioned during this period, with Jadeja failing to take a single wicket in the series.
Defense
Gill defends Kuldeep Yadav's performance
Gill defended Kuldeep Yadav's performance in the series, despite the spinner not being able to take as many wickets as expected. "It's unfortunate that he was not able to take as many wickets this time," said Gill. He also noted that these kinds of series help teams grow and learn from their mistakes. Jadeja's recent form has also been a concern with just one wicket in his last five ODIs and no half-century since 2020.
Fielding flaws
India's fielding performance under scrutiny
Gill also pointed out India's subpar fielding in the series, having dropped catches in all games. He said, "I honestly felt our fielding in this series was not up to the mark. We dropped some crucial catches, and it's not easy for bowlers on wickets like this to create chances." The captain stressed that these were big differences between the two teams and something India needs to improve on.