Shubman-Rohit combo fires as India dethrone New Zealand from No 1 in ODIs

 

India followed a 3-0 sweep of Sri Lanka at home with an identical series win over New Zealand, who landed in the country from Pakistan ranked No 1 in ODIs but handed over the title to Rohit Sharma’s team after three defeats. Here is a look at the main talking points from India’s 3-0 win over the Black Caps.

 

GILL CEMENTS HIS PLACE AS OPENER

Shubman Gill began this contest with the team’s backing, with Rohit saying before the previous series that India wanted to continue with the youngster after his ODI success last year. Against Sri Lanka, Gill reeled off scores of 70, 21 and 116 and in the first match in Hyderabad he stormed his way to 208 in an innings in which the next best was 34. During the course of this landmark double-century, the 23-year-old became the youngest batsman to get to 200 in an ODI as well as the fastest Indian to 1000 runs in the format.

This was followed by a brisk 40* in Raipur, where India needed just 20 overs to chase 109, and then in the third ODI Gill sped to another fifty in 33 deliveries before he converted that into a third century in the span of four matches. So far in 2023, Gill has racked up 567 runs in six ODIs at an average of 113.40 and strike-rate of 134.12. This has locked him in as one of India’s openers for this year’s World Cup, irrespective of whether or not his form dips in the buildup to the tournament.

 

ROHIT ROARS BACK

Gill’s opening partner had a good series, if nowhere as dominant, with 198 runs at an average of 62 and a strike-rate of 107.51. Rohit showed glimpses of strong ODI form when he began the Sri Lanka series with 83 off 67 deliveries, but then made 17 and 42 in the remainder of that series. Against New Zealand, scores of 34 and 51 followed before Rohit ended a century drought dating back three years to January 2020. During this time, he averaged 40 but the three-figure mark proved elusive for India’s captain until Tuesday at Indore, where Rohit hurried to his 30^th ODI hundred to draw level with Ricky Ponting.

During these two series, Rohit has tried to score faster during the Powerplay. This has resulted, alongside Gill’s dominance, in first-wicket partnerships of 60 in 12.1 overs, 72 in 14.2 and 212 in 26.1 overs, which was India’s seventh 200-run opening act in ODIs. In a home World Cup year, Rohit’s sequence of scores must have come as a serious boost to the team.

 

KOHLI’S FORM DIPS

It was a low-key series for Virat Kohli, who entered these three matches with three centuries in his previous four ODIs, which included 113 and 116* against Sri Lanka. There was anticipation of an encore versus New Zealand given his touch and the nature of the surfaces for this series, but instead Kohli struggled to dominate and produced scores of 8, 11 and 36.

This poor run of scores made for odd viewing when you consider what Kohli has done in the past three ODI series: 9, 5 and 113 in Bangladesh, 113, 4 and 166* versus Sri Lanka and 8, 11 and 36 against New Zealand. India next play ODIs after the four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy, a low-key series just before the IPL in which we can expect a lot of regular players to be rested. So, the wait to see when Kohli draws level with Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI record of 49 hundreds will be extended for a while.

 

IN BUMRAH’S ABSENCE, PACERS DO THE JOB

With Jasprit Bumrah’s return to Team India blues still anyone’s guess, the onus has shifted to the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik and Shardul Thakur to deliver wickets. Siraj, the most successful of the three fast bowlers with 14 wickets in five ODIs this year – the most for any team, in fact – has put himself in pole position to play the World Cup. Shardul, getting a chance in ODIs after a poor tour of Bangladesh, played all three games and finished as the joint leading wicket-taker of the series with six at 20.83 apiece and an economy rate of 6.46

Mohammed Shami was under-par in the series with Sri Lanka but acquitted himself well with four wickets in two ODIs versus New Zealand, three of which came in a superb display in the second match. The weak link was Umran, who got only the third ODI after a good time against Sri Lanka, and in seven overs conceded 52 runs for just one wicket.

Hardik Pandya, whose role as a bowler remains a focal point, bowled 19 overs in the series for four wickets and conceded runs 6.47 per over.

 

KULDEEP AHEAD OF CHAHAL NOW?

The roles appear to have shifted when it comes to India’s two wrist-spinners. Yuzvendra Chahal played more ODIs in 2022 than Kuldeep Yadav, but in 2023 the latter has been preferred and he’s delivered. Kuldeep is this year’s second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs with 11 at an average of 18.27 and an economy rate of 5.08, and in these three matches he took six at 22.33 per wicket while conceding runs at 5.46 per over. On flat tracks on which there was little assistance for spinners, Kudeep stood out in a series dominated by batsmen.

Chahal, conversely, has played just two ODIs in 2023 and against New Zealand he was only used in the final match. Chahal had figures of 2/43 from 7.2 overs, giving him an economy rate of 5.86. At the World Cup in October, where we can expect Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel to play as spin-bowling allrounders, there will be room for only one wristspinner. Who gets the nod?