India’s captain Shubman Gill admitted that his team struggled in the middle overs during their seven-wicket loss to New Zealand in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Gill emphasized the importance of taking wickets during that phase of the game, stating that it becomes challenging if breakthroughs are not achieved. Despite posting a score of 284/7, anchored by KL Rahul’s unbeaten 112 off 92 balls, India couldn’t contain New Zealand’s chase, led by Daryl Mitchell’s 131 not out.
Mitchell’s partnership with Will Young, who scored 87, played a crucial role in New Zealand’s victory. Gill highlighted the difficulty of scoring freely for incoming batsmen on such pitches and acknowledged that India’s bowling could have been more aggressive in the middle overs. He also mentioned fielding errors as a factor that impacted India’s performance, emphasizing the team’s continuous efforts to improve in that aspect.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell praised his team for a well-rounded performance that resulted in a series-leveling win. He commended the bowlers for their efforts and expressed satisfaction with the team’s adaptability under pressure. Bracewell also lauded Mitchell’s strategy against Kuldeep Yadav, emphasizing the team’s adaptability and aggressive approach in reading the game conditions.
