New Zealand vs India 2019: 3 important takeaways from the 4th ODI

The 4th ODI between New Zealand and India, played at Hamilton, got over quicker than anybody would have imagined. The hosts came back strongly with an 8-wicket win and plenty of balls to spare.

New Zealand won the toss and opted to bowl first. Faced with a bit of swing early on, India got dismissed for 92-10 in just 30.5 overs. That made the run chase very easy for the New Zealanders, who got home in just 14.4 overs.

Few would have expected such a result, especially after the dominant performance from India in the first three ODI games.

Here are the three important take-aways from the match:

#1 The Men in Blue without their leaders:

The Indian team ran the show during the first three ODIs against New Zealand. Virat Kohli provided the much-needed stability for the side in his three innings with the bat, where he got a total of 148. The third ODI saw him scoring 60 runs from 74 balls.

MS Dhoni got only one innings to bat in during the series but still made a mark, with his quickfire 48 taking the team to a 300+ total. His excellent stumping of the dangerous Ross Taylor in the same match profited the team immensely.

Without the former captain MSD, who is recovering from an injury he sustained earlier on, and the current captain Kohli who is out for rest, India got broken easily. This shows the value of these two key players to the side.

Their experience and solidity are much-required assets for the team in the ICC World Cup 2019.