Rajkot (Gujarat) : Legendary former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said he was taken aback by the ease with which New Zealand chased down a target of 285 against India in the second ODI at Rajkot on Wednesday.
Speaking on JioStar, Gavaskar said the conditions and India’s bowling attack had made the chase appear challenging before the start of New Zealand’s innings. He felt the hosts were well placed to defend the total on a slow pitch.
“I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got across the line because, before they started batting, everyone thought India would be able to use the slowness of the pitch. With all their bowlers, not just the spinners, making good use of the surface, it felt like India could restrict New Zealand to around 260 or 270. I thought that would have been an easy win for India,” Gavaskar said.
However, he credited New Zealand for executing the chase smartly, singling out the crucial partnership between Will Young and Daryl Mitchell. “That 150-plus partnership just took the game away. They showed how a near-300 total can be chased by settling in first and then backing your stroke play and running between the wickets,” he added.
Gavaskar also praised Mitchell’s unbeaten century, highlighting his fitness and work ethic. “Daryl Mitchell deserves huge credit, not just for his batting. Even after getting to his hundred, the way he kept running hard, constantly taking twos and putting pressure on the fielders showed his fitness and commitment to the team,” he said.
Mitchell produced a match-winning knock of 131 not out off 117 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes, and sharing a decisive 162-run stand with Will Young for the third wicket. With this innings, he registered his third ODI century against India, equalling former New Zealand greats Chris Cairns and Ross Taylor for the joint second-most hundreds against India.
In 12 ODIs against India, Mitchell has now scored 604 runs in 10 innings at an impressive average of 67.11 and a strike rate of 95.11, including three centuries and two half-centuries.
The series will now head to a decider on Sunday, with India and New Zealand set to face off at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.