Ravi Shastri gives an interesting advise with regard to Indian bowling for the second ODI against New Zealand
India suffered an embarrassing loss against New Zealand by 7 wickets at Eden Park, Auckland on Friday. An unbeaten knock of 145 by left-hander Tom Latham and a classy knock of 94 not out from the captain Kane Williamson drove New Zealand to a comfortable victory.
The Kiwis chased down the target of 307 with ease in 47.1 overs with 7 wickets in hand and took 1-0 lead in the series. Earlier, during India’s inning, the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill gave an excellent start with a 100-run partnership.
Gill scored 50 runs while Dhawan departed after scoring 72 runs. India were in trouble after losing Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav in the same over. However, Shreyas Iyer established the innings with a solid 80-run knock. Washington Sundar’s quickfire 37* off 16 propelled them to 306/7 in 50 Overs.
Ravi Shastri believes India should change their strategy
The Indian team was very good with the bat but received a lot of criticism for their bowling. It is also pertinent to note that they were playing with a bowler short. Ravi Shastri wants the Indian coach VVS Laxman and skipper Dhawan to rethink their strategy.
Speaking on air, during the broadcast of the 1st ODI, former Indian Women’s cricketer Anjum Chopra asked Shastri,
“In hindsight, now that the game is over when you look back at the start of the match, you look at the team from both the side, would you have had another bowler, a sixth-bowling option, in this Indian line-up?”
Shastri replied saying,
“I think seriously they will have to think of it. They will have to think of it.”
Despite having eight bowlers in the 15-men squad, the men-in-blue played the first match with only five bowlers. Deepak Chahar and Kuldeep Yadav will be hoping to get an opportunity in the second match.
Chinaman Kuldeep can be mysterious with the ball while Chahar can swing the ball on both sides and he also provides depth in the batting line-up as well. India really need to do some changes in order to level the series by 1-1 in a do-or-die match in Hamilton on Sunday.
