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Takeaways From India vs New Zealand T20I Series
- Updated: February 3, 2020
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Team India completed their very first whitewash against the Kiwis in a T20I series in New Zealand by winning the last and final game at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui by seven runs. This was the first time ever that India played a five-match T20I series against any T20I international team. With the World T20 to be played later this year in Australia, this series was seen as a dress rehearsal for the mega event. The series resulted in a number of positives for India and has helped them move a place above to number four from five before the start of the series. There were also a number of takeaways from India vs New Zealand T20I series as well.
Here is a list of Takeaways from India vs New Zealand T20I series for the Men in Blue.
KL Rahul’s All-Round Capabilities
Rahul was adjudged as the Man of the series after he top-scored with 224 runs from five games at 56. He was consistent throughout the series scoring two scores of fifty-plus and a 45 and 39. He seems an indispensable part of this Indian T20I outfit with Shikhar Dhawan injured and out of the team. He forged a formidable partnership with Rohit Sharma at the top and looked at his best form in the series. However, where he really impressed everyone was with his keeping skills. He donned the gloves in place of Rishabh Pant since the third and final ODI in India, before the start of this series and has done it to perfection. In the process, Rahul has kept Pant out of the squad with Kohli going further to say that, Rahul as a batsmen-keeper lends the team that extra balance. Keeping in mind the form he is in, Rahul almost looks a certainty in India’s World T20 squad. He also led India in the third and final ODI when stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma was forced to leave the field, after he pulled up a muscle while batting and regular skipper Virat Kohli being rested for the game. He handled the bowlers beautifully and took India to a win. Captaincy is another dimension which he has added into his game in the series, which will be seen in plenty as he gears up to lead Kings XI Punjab in IPL 2020. This is the first of the takeaways from India vs New Zealand T20I series.
Also Read: IPL 2020 All-Star Match: All Details Revealed
Team India’s Ability to Handle Pressure
This is the second of the takeaways from the India vs New Zealand T20I series. The Indian bowlers bowled as a unit and stepped up for each other. Mohammad Shami defended nine runs off the final over in Hamilton, to take the game to a Super Over. Rohit Sharma then hit two sixes off the last two balls to help India win the game. On the other hand, it was the first example of the Kiwis not holding their nerves at key moments in the game.
In Wellington, again a match where the Kiwis looked certain to win, it was Shardul Thakur who defended seven to take the game to a Super Over. It was India who won the game again handing the Kiwis their seventh loss in Super Overs. Thus, in this series, India learned the art to win in Super Overs, with their players holding their nerves better than their opposition.
Also Read: New Zealand vs India 2020 5th T20I Preview
Death Bowling Support for Jasprit Bumrah
Shardul Thakur and Mohammad Shami both defended the required runs needed by the Kiwis to win the game in the final over. Thus this series presented the team with death bowling support for Bumrah. This is a massive takeaway for Team India from this T20I series against the Kiwis. All three Indian pacers, Shami, Shardul and Saini looked in impressive form and provided the adequate back up for India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Shami stood up with nine needed from the final over in Hamilton, Thur stood up with seven required in Wellington and Thakur and Saini stood up in the fifth T20I giving away just 24 runs and taking three wickets in Mount Maunganui.
Also Read: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 Schedule
Super Over- New Zealand’s Nemesis
New Zealand’s loss in the Super Over in Wellington was their seventh overall. They have never been able to play the Super Over as per their liking with Tim Southee at the receiving end of all of these overs. They lost the World Cup 2019 final against England on Super Over boundary count, only to be defeated by the same team in a T20I in Auckland before the series against India. They have just not found out the formulae to win games in the Super Over. This is the last of the takeaways from the India vs New Zealand T20I series.
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