India vs New Zealand 2019: Indian Middle-Order Missed a Golden Opportunity - Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian National Cricket team skipper Sunil Gavaskar feels the middle-order missed a golden opportunity in the last ODI against New Zealand at Hamilton. Meanwhile, New Zealand pulled one back beating the men in blues by eight wickets in Thursday’s clash.

The Indian team have been dependent on the top three batters in Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli for quite some time now. With their regular skipper taking a break to manage his workload, it was a chance for Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik to cement their place for the ICC World Cup. However, they failed to grab the opportunity as they both got out for ducks to Colin de Grandhomme. But the with the showpiece event approaching, the focus has now shifted to Kedar Jadhav, Karthik, and Rayudu. Instead, a collective failure meant India were all out for 92 – their seventh lowest total in ODIs.

Golden opportunity missed

However, Sunil Gavaskar seemed not worried by India’s crushing defeat but added it was an opportunity missed for the middle-order batsmen to stand up and deliver after a rare failure for the openers. While it was the first international game for Shubman Gill, who has shown hints that he belongs to this place. But the Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik have struggled to show consistency which will hurt the India team in the showpiece event.

“Big time opportunity missed for Kedar Jadhav and even for someone like Shubman Gill – a newcomer batting at three. Opportunity missed as once the openers have been dismissed early, it gives you forty odd minutes to play. Sometimes you come in with the opener and Virat Kohli is batting with 30-40 overs and what chance do you get to a big total for yourself and the team.

“You get what… 10 overs, 15 overs. But in a situation like this, when both the openers are back in the pavilion within the first 10 overs, it was a terrific opportunity for all these guys. They missed out,” Gavaskar told India Today.

There is no need to worry

In addition to, Sunil Gavaskar said days like this could happen to any team; however, there is no need to worry. He also feels that it was a bad day at work and the Indian National Cricket team will bounce back in the next ODI on February 3 (Sunday) at Wellington.

“I think this just one of those days that can happen to any team. You can have a bad day at the office and that is exactly what happened today to this Indian team. I don’t think I will be overly worried about what happened today,” he concluded.