Speechless Sunil Gavaskar exposes where India went wrong vs New Zealand in Rajkot ODI

Sunil Gavaskar on India's loss to New Zealand in second ODI [Source: @Gk1679521Kumar/X.com]

Former legend Sunil Gavaskar was left surprised after watching New Zealand chase down India’s 284 with ease in the second ODI at Rajkot. An unbeaten 131 from Daryl Mitchell and a solid 87 from Will Young helped the visitors level the series, ending India’s eight-match winning streak against New Zealand in ODIs.

Sunil Gavaskar surprised by India’s lack of fight

Speaking after the match on JioHotstar, Sunil Gavaskar admitted he did not expect New Zealand to chase the target so comfortably. He felt the pitch would help India’s bowlers, especially with its slow nature.

“I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got across the line because, before they started batting, everyone thought India would be able to make use of the slowness of the pitch. With their bowlers, not just the spinners, but all of them, using the slowness of the surface well, it felt like India would be able to restrict New Zealand to around 260 or 270. I thought that would have been an easy win for India,” he said.

India had posted 284/7, with KL Rahul scoring a fine 112 and Shubman Gill adding 56. On a surface expected to slow down, many believed this would be enough. 

However, New Zealand’s calm approach and smart batting made the chase look far more comfortable than expected.

Gavaskar praises Mitchell and Young

While being disappointed, Sunil Gavaskar gave full credit to the partnership between Will Young and Daryl Mitchell, which changed the game completely. The pair added 162 runs for the third wicket and took control of the chase.

“But full credit to New Zealand, particularly the partnership between Will Young and Daryl Mitchell. That 150-plus stand just took the game away. I think they showed how a near-300 run total can be chased down by taking your time to settle in and then backing your stroke-making ability and running between the wickets,” he added.

He also praised Mitchell’s fitness and commitment, especially after reaching his hundred.

“Daryl Mitchell deserves huge credit, not just for the batting, but even after getting to his hundred, for the way he kept running hard, putting pressure on the fielders, and constantly taking twos. That shows both fitness and commitment to the team.”

India urged to reconsider playing XI

Meanwhile, India’s innings was built around KL Rahul’s unbeaten 112, with support from Gill, Jadeja, and Nitish Reddy. However, early wickets and a lack of big partnerships meant they could not push beyond 300. 

In reply, New Zealand lost two early wickets but recovered through Young and Mitchell. Young’s 87 provided stability, while Mitchell’s 131 not out guided the chase to the end. 

This was New Zealand’s highest successful chase in India in ODIs, and a result that puts pressure back on India. Gavaskar pointed out that India now cannot afford to experiment in the final match and must play their best XI.

“India will certainly feel the pressure going into the third ODI because, had they won this game, they would have had the freedom to experiment a little, perhaps giving opportunities to those who haven’t played so far. Someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal could have gotten a bit of a run as well. All of that might have been possible. But now they can’t take any chances. They have to play their best eleven again.”

With the series level, the decider promises to be a tense contest, and India will be eager to respond strongly in Nagpur after being outplayed in Rajkot.