Kuldeep, spin strategy in focus as India prepare for Indore decider
India may have to reassess their bowling combination for the series-deciding third ODI against New Zealand here on Sunday after their spinners were outplayed and their batters struggled to break free against the visitors’ slow bowlers in the first two matches. The second ODI in Rajkot, which New Zealand won comfortably to level the series 1-1, exposed India’s middle-overs vulnerabilities.
Chief among them was the struggle of Kuldeep Yadav, who failed to exert control or pose a consistent wicket-taking threat as New Zealand’s batters, led by Daryl Mitchell, tackled him with confidence. Kuldeep was attacked for both length and trajectory, with Mitchell in particular using his feet to negate the turn and disrupt India’s plans through the middle overs.
The Kiwi batters swept him very effectively, a strategy that worked well for them in Test matches too. India’s spinners as a group were unable to apply sustained pressure, a stark contrast to the effectiveness of the Kiwi spinners, who choked the home team’s scoring rate and forced errors. The Indore venue, known for its short boundaries and batting-friendly surfaces, places a premium on discipline rather than mere variation.
India’s bowlers, particularly Kuldeep, will need to bowl flatter, attack the stumps and use the bigger pockets of the ground smartly, rather than offering flight that can be easily exploited. Controlling the lengths and cutting down boundary options will be critical on a ground where mis-hits often go for six. The absence of injured Washington Sundar was felt without a doubt in Rajkot while his replacement Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled only two overs.
