IND vs NZ: "They Are A Dated ODI Team": Michael Vaughan Bashes India After Defeat Against New Zealand

Former England captain Michael Vaughan slammed Team India after it was defeated by New Zealand by seven wickets in the first One-Day International (ODI) at Eden Park in Auckland.

Team India scored 306 runs batting first, but the hosts easily chased it down with 17 balls remaining.

In the first encounter of the three-match ODI series, the hosts New Zealand thoroughly dismantled the Indian squad, which didn’t bode well for their preparations for the 2023 World Cup. Batting first, the batsmen did manage to score a respectable total of 306 runs, but the New Zealand batsmen made it appear as though they were 40 runs short as they successfully chased it down with over three overs left.

The Men in Blue lost both openers Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill in short succession after a 124-run opening stand, which slowed the innings’ development in the following few overs. Only 32 runs were scored in the following 8 overs before Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Washington Sundar helped the team reach a score of 300 or more.

The bowlers also had a strong beginning, taking their first three victims by the 20th over. The Indian bowling lineup had its tails up, but skipper Kane Williamson and his replacement Tom Latham stood firm to challenge them. New Zealand won the match thanks to an undefeated 221-run stand between the two.

“Gameplan of the Indian ODI side is outdated”: Michael Vaughan

Former cricketers claimed that the visitors lacked a sixth bowling option when two of their primary bowlers went for runs. Many criticized India’s batting strategy in the middle overs, believing that players would be unable to bat at a strike rate of 50-60 in 2022, particularly on a small ground like Eden Park.

Michael Vaughan, a former leader of England, too hopped on board, claiming that the Indian ODI team’s game plan is out of date and that they need one or two extra bowling options.

“They are a dated ODI team .. you need at least 6 if not 7 bowling options,”  Michael Vaughan wrote on Twitter after India’s loss.

With Hardik Pandya absent from the team, Team India may look to insert Deepak Hooda into the side for the second ODI, which will decide the series.

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