Team India’s juggernaut once again prevailed in the five-match T20 international series in New Zealand, with the side completing a rare 5-0 whitewash.
The Indian top-order comprising KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma once again ensured top class act and was ably supported by the middle-order. The bowling could have been better but nonetheless it was enough to make sure India remained dominant in every aspect of the game over hosts New Zealand.
KL Rahul was again the star of the series for India and could do no wrong with the bat as well as the keeping gloves. The biggest disappointment for India in series was the failure of the bench strength, who were unable to capitalise on the opportunity provided,
Out the squad of 15-men, 14 of them got an opportunity to play in the series. Here’s a look at Team India’s report card for the five-match T20 series against New Zealand:
KL Rahul (10/10)
(Innings: 5; Runs: 224; Ave: 56.00; SR: 144.51; 50s: 2 Ct/St: 3/1)
The Man of the Series was on point on every aspect in the five T20Is in New Zealand. Whether it be his batting, his stint with the gloves behind the stumps or his captaincy during second half of the final T20I.
Rahul not only grabbed headlines with his batting at the top of the order, his exploits behind the stumps drew comparison with MS Dhoni - especially how he dealt with stumpings and run-outs.
After Rohit Sharma didn’t take the field against New Zealand due to an injury while he was batting, Rahul led the side well to ensure a 5-0 whitewash. it was the way he used his bowlers which showed his calibre as a captain.
As far as his batting is concerned, he has more or less consolidated his place in the opening slot in T20s.
Rohit Sharma (8/10)
(Innings: 4; Runs: 140; Ave: 46.66; SR: 150.53; 50s: 2)
Despite, two failures with the bat, Rohit still manages to make a mark with the bat in the series, courtesy his Super Over exploits in the 3rd T20I, where the ‘Hitman’ smashed back-to-back sixes to clinch the match.
Apart from the Super Over, Rohit scored successive half centuries in the third and fifth T20s (he was rested for the fourth encounter). After his 40-ball 65 in Hamilton, Rohit was once again looking good for a big score, but he innings was halted at 60 not out after he endured a calf injury.
Now, due to the injury, Rohit has been ruled out for the rest of the tour with Mayank Agarwal replacing him in ODIs and Shubman Gill in Tests.
Virat Kohli (6/10)
(Innings: 4; Runs: 105; Ave: 26.25; SR: 131.25; 50s: 0)
It might have been a landmark series for Virat Kohli - the captain but the skipper had a dampener with the bat. He got great starts in all of the matches but failed to convert them, his highest score of the series being 45.
Meanwhile, as a skipper Kohli had a great outing to become the first captain to win a bilateral T20 international series 5-0.
Shreyas Iyer (7/10)
(Innings: 5; Runs: 153; Ave: 51.00; SR: 131.89; 50s: 1)
The Mumbai batsman slowly but surely is making the number four spot his own in both the Limited Overs formats. Iyer started the series on great note scoring a 58 not out in the first T20 in Auckland. Apart from this, Iyer played crucial knocks of 44 and 33 not out in the second and fifth T20 international to finish the series with an average of over 50.
But, once again in this series, Iyer showed his susceptibility against the pacers while he continued knocking the spinners out of the park.
Shivam Dube (3/10)
(Innings: 5; Runs: 41; Bowling Ave: 51.00; Eco: 11.33 ; Wickets: 2)
The youngster had a forgettable series both with the bat and the ball. Despite getting multiple opportunities to express himself with the bat the top of the order, Dube only ended up giving his wickets and managing a high score of 13.
With the bowl, he probably had the worst outing among bowlers from both the sides. His 34-run over in the fifth T20I against the likes of Ross Taylor and Tim Seifret is the second-most expensive over in the history of T20 cricket. His economy of 11.33 is a testimony of his form in the series.
Manish Pandey (7/10)
(Innings: 4; Runs: 89; Ave: NA; SR: 153.44; 50s: 1)
If Manish Pandey is making the number four spot is own, Manish Pandey is also making sure he is entrusted with the finshers job in the shortest format.
Yet to be dismissed in the five-match series, Pandey chipped in with handy scores at the fag end of the innings to give the team score some impetus. But the stylish batsman, proved that he is more than just a finisher in the 4th T20I of the series in Wellington when he scored an unbeaten 50 after India were reduced to 88/6.
Pandey batted very smartly with the tailenders to push India’s score past 160.
Ravindra Jadeja (8/10)
(Innings: 3; Runs: 10 ; Bowling Ave: 14.75; Eco: 5.90 ; Wickets: 4)
Once again India’s most impactful bowler, Jadeja only played the first three matches of the series.
It was the left hander, whom the Kiwis had the toughest time to dispatch and at many occasion found themselves at the receiving end, giving away their wickets. Jadeja should also be lauded for his miserly spells and allowing only 6 runs per over in a T20 series.
This time also Jadeja ensured important breakthroughs and is eventually proving himself to be the indispensable all-rounder in the side. With the bat, he hardly had any opportunity in the first three encounters and had forgettable outings.
Yuzvendra Chahal (4/10)
(Innings: 5; Wickets: 3; Bowling Ave: 55.66; Eco: 8.35 )
Chahal got the preference over his former bowling partner Kuldeep Yadav in all the five matches in the series yet he couldn’t make good use of it.
Bowling his quota of 20 overs in the five matches, Chahal could yield only 3 wickets but at the same time was a tad bit expensive, going at over 8 runs per over. Once again, his knack of giving India important breakthroughs was missing in the series.
With the T20 World Cup less than a year away, Chahal needs to find a way to reset his bowling to old settings or his plajavascript:void(0)ce in the playing XI will be a thing of the past.
Shardul Thakur (8/10)
(Innings: 5; Wickets: 8; Bowling Ave: 19.62; Eco: 9.81 )
Shardul ended the series as India’s highest wicket-taker with a count of 8 wickets. The pacer, who has been looking good with the ball since the T20I series against Sri Lanka, needs to find a way to give away less runs if he wants to cement his place among the likes of Shami and Bumrah.
Shardul’s moment of the series has to be during the fourth T20 international in Wellington, when the pacer defended 7 runs off 6 deliveries in the final over to take the match in Super Over. The bowler took two wickets in the over,
Mohammed Shami (6/10)
(Innings: 5; Wickets: 3; Bowling Ave: 53.50; Eco: 8.91)
It was here in New Zealand, exactly a year ago, when Shami’s Limited Over career got a fresh lease of life and since then the pacer hasn’t turned back.
But this otherwise thrilling five-match series has been less than eventful for the Bengal pacer. His only high point in the series has come in the third encounter in Hamilton, where he defended 3 runs of 5 balls to ensure the first tied match of the series.
But a sorry count of only 2 wickets and an economy of around 9 runs per over didn’t help Shami’s cause in the series.
Jasprit Bumrah (7/10)
(Innings: 5; Wickets: 6; Bowling Ave: 21.50; Eco: 6.45)
Since his comeback to international cricket after an injury lay-off, Bumrah hasn’t been his old self. Apart from the lack of wickets, his ineffectiveness in the death overs were cause of concern for the team management, especially ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
As expected Bumrah was the chosen one to bowl the two Super Overs for India in the series but New Zealand batters picked him at will, especially skipper Kane Williamson as he gave away 17 and 14 runs respectively - again very unlikely of Bumrah.
It was only in the final T20I of the series, Bumrah showed glimpses of his old self taking 3 wickets for a mere 12 runs from his 4 overs. It was Bumrah’s spell at the start and end of the innings which was crucial to make sure India won the fifth match and complete a rare 5-0 whitewash.
Sanju Samson, Navdeep Saini & Washington Sundar
With the series under belt after the third match, as expected Team India gave a chance to the reserve bench to make a mark but the bench failed to make a mark.
The biggest disappointment was Sanju Samson. The wicket-keeper batsman was asked to open in the 4th and 5th T20I, his preferred position to bat, but the Kerala batsman could only manage scores of 7 and 2 in his two outings. Apart from his poor score, Sanju was also guilty of giving away his wicket in both the innings.
Like Sanju, both Navdeep Saini and Washington Sundar were incorporated in the squad in the last two T20Is and both bowlers failed to impress. While Navdeep accounted for 2 wickets, Washington only managed one scalp. Both bowlers were also guilty of leaking runs, with Washington going for around 9 runs in the over.
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