Sunil Gavaskar Praises New Zealand's Chase in ODI Victory Over India
Gavaskar's Insights on New Zealand's Performance
Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], January 15: Renowned cricketer Sunil Gavaskar shared his thoughts on JioStar regarding New Zealand's impressive chase of 285 runs against India in the second ODI held in Rajkot on Wednesday.
Gavaskar expressed his astonishment at how effortlessly the New Zealand team achieved their target, believing that India would have had a straightforward victory. He specifically praised Daryl Mitchell for his outstanding century, highlighting his relentless running and the pressure he applied on the fielders, which showcased his fitness and dedication to the team.
“I was taken aback by how smoothly New Zealand crossed the finish line because prior to their innings, many expected India to exploit the pitch's slowness. With their bowlers, including both spinners and pacers, effectively utilizing the surface, it seemed likely that India could limit New Zealand to around 260 or 270 runs. I thought that would lead to an easy win for India,” Gavaskar remarked on JioStar.
“However, full credit goes to New Zealand, especially the partnership between Will Young and Daryl Mitchell. Their 150-plus partnership shifted the momentum of the game. They demonstrated how a target close to 300 can be successfully chased by taking time to settle in and then relying on their batting skills and quick running between the wickets. Daryl Mitchell deserves significant recognition, not only for his batting but also for his relentless running after reaching his century, consistently putting pressure on the fielders and running for twos. This reflects both his fitness and commitment to the team,” he added.
Mitchell continued his excellent form against India, tying with legends Chris Cairns and Ross Taylor for the second-highest number of centuries against India in ODIs.
During the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot, Mitchell scored an impressive 131* off 117 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes, and forming a crucial 162-run partnership with Will Young for the third wicket, which was pivotal for their victory. This marked Mitchell's third century against India in ODIs, placing him alongside Cairns and Taylor.
In his 12 matches against India, he has accumulated 604 runs in 10 innings, boasting an average of 67.11 and a strike rate of 95.11, including three centuries and two fifties.
India is set to face New Zealand again on Sunday in the series decider at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.