New Zealand vs India, 2nd ODI: Here're the key takeaways
What's the story
Team India lost to New Zealand in the second ODI at Eden Park on Saturday. In this encounter, India restricted the Kiwis to 273 at the end of 50 overs. The dismissal of Indian openers exposed the middle order early on. Shreyas Iyer's half century inspired hope, but Ravindra Jadeja failed to get India home eventually. Here are the key takeaways.
Match report
How did the second ODI pan out?
Batting first, New Zealand were looking set at 141/1 before the Indian bowlers ran all over the Kiwi batsmen. Although India disarrayed them during the middle overs, Ross Taylor's unbeaten 73 brought the Black Caps back. India saw Iyer and Jadeja offer some resistance after a top order failure. However, the Men in Blue fell short by 22 runs to win the game.
Iyer and Jadeja
The duo starred for India in the match
Shreyas Iyer has ended India's number four woes with consecutive fifty-plus scores in the limited overs format. In the second ODI, Iyer showed resilience after India lost Virat Kohli during the chase. He followed up his first ODI hundred with a 52-run innings in the second one. Ravindra Jadeja was brilliant in all the segments, but he couldn't add the finishing touch.
Wicketless Bumrah
Bumrah was deprived of any wicket in the second ODI
All is not well with Jasprit Bumrah post his comeback. While he is still bowling the fiery yorkers, his wickets tally hasn't been on the rise of late. This was the first instance when Bumrah returned wicketless in three successive ODIs. He gave away 64 runs from his 10 overs. India needed someone like a Bumrah to get more purchase from the match.
Ross, the boss!
Taylor's unbeaten 73 helped New Zealand post 273
Ross Taylor has been New Zealand's guiding light in the absence of Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson. Following the heroics of Hamilton ODI, Taylor stood till the end with New Zealand tottering on 197/8 at one stage. His 73-run innings and a match-winning partnership for the ninth wicket. makes him a strong contender for the 'Player of the series' award.
Jadhav's failures
The 34-year-old Jadhav failed to grab the opportunity
While a string of injuries derailed the first of his career, Kedar doesn't look to be making the most of ongoing games. He could only muster nine in the second ODI and fell to Tim Southee. The team management will need to reconsider his spot in the squad as the likes of Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube are still warming the bench.