Mount Maunganui (New Zealand): India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir believes the batters must find ways to tackle challenging conditions rather than allowing the opposition bowlers to dictate terms, insisting that there are no unplayable deliveries in international cricket after India suffered a humiliating 244-run defeat to New Zealand in the fourth ODI at the Bay Oval on Friday.
India were bowled out for just 89 in 26.4 overs while chasing 334, with Matt Henry producing a career-best performance of 6-27 to dismantle the visitors’ batting line-up. The defeat was India’s second-heaviest in ODI cricket and reduced their lead in the five-match series to 2-1, with the decider scheduled to be played at the same venue on Sunday.
Speaking after the match, Gambhir said the Indian batters should have been better equipped to counter Henry’s disciplined bowling, adding that the movement on offer was not enough to justify the batting collapse.
“There are no unplayable deliveries in international cricket. Matt Henry bowled in good areas, but we should be able to negate that. I don’t go into technicalities. There wasn’t a lot of deviation. It’s the job of the batter to negate movement. More than the seam, the areas and lengths created problems for us. We got stuck in the crease,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.
The Indian head coach admitted that repeated batting collapses were a major concern, particularly with the team needing to prepare for challenging conditions ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
“You are always concerned when you get bundled out for 90-odd. These are conditions close to the World Cup. Even in the previous game, we lost seven wickets, so it’s a concern. We need to be mentally and skill-wise ready. A score of 35-40 without losing a wicket is fine in conditions like these. We have experience and can hopefully adapt in the last game,” he added.
India had also struggled in the second ODI, losing seven wickets for 111 runs, although they eventually secured a seven-wicket victory through the DLS method.
Gambhir also pointed to missed opportunities in the field, particularly the dropped catches of Will Young, who capitalised on the reprieve to score 125 off 108 deliveries and guide New Zealand to 333/8. “Auqib Nabi was unlucky. Had we got Will Young, it could have been different. There’s always hindsight. We dropped catches and will have to pay for it,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Gambhir expressed satisfaction with the Indian bowling unit’s effort, which picked up eight wickets, with Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi each taking two. “I am proud of every player who plays for the country. All of us should be proud of our bowling unit,” Gambhir said.
The two teams will now meet in the fifth and final ODI on Sunday, with India looking to clinch the series and New Zealand aiming to level it.
(IANS)
