Five Positives for Team India from the India vs NZ ODI Series
clinching the ODI series 3-2 (Image Courtesy: Bcci.tv)
India completed a 3-2 series triumph over visitors New Zealand, with a comprehensive 190-run victory in the final ODI at Vizag. In what was a tightly contested series, with Team India coming out on top with the help of some impressive performances by the likes of Virat Kohli, Amit Mishra and co.
It was a series where we saw inconsistencies in the performance of both sides and unlike in the past contests in the sub-continent, the bowlers came out on top on what were generally decent batting tracks at all five venues.
Here we take a look at five positive aspects for Team India that emerged from this series:
#5 Hardik Pandya – The all-rounder that India could benefit, if he’s nurtured
The dearth of an all-rounder that can bowl medium pace has been haunting India since a long time. Irfan Pathan lost his way after an impressive few years, Stuart Binny was tried but couldn’t perform over a sustained period.
This series saw the emergence of a certain Hardik Pandya, who made his ODI debut in the first game at Dharamsala after impressing with some good performances in Australia with the India ‘A’ team. The Baroda all-rounder had been criticised for his showing in the World T20 earlier this year for bowling too short, but on his first One-Day International appearance, he left a mark with a Man-of-the-Match performance.
He was very impressive with the new ball at Dharamsala, generating prodigious movement, bowling at a very good pace in the range of 140’s and finished the match with 3 wickets. In the second ODI at Delhi, he almost took India over the line with a gritty knock lower down the order.
Although the performances waned as the series progressed, he is one player who the team management should pursue with, as he can be that X-factor that the team needs ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy next year.