With New Zealand suffering yet another thumping defeat in the ongoing ODI series against India, their former cricketer Scott Styris took a sly dig at them.
The last time India had visited New Zealand, the hosts were all over them. Led by the talismanic Brendon McCullum, New Zealand had won the ODIs 4-0. However, the tables have turned this time around. The Kiwis have looked clueless against the high-flying tourists. After being thoroughly outplayed in the first two ODIs, New Zealand did manage to show some fight in the do-or-die third game on Monday. With Ross Taylor and Tom Latham scoring fifties, New Zealand looked on course to post a big total.
But once the century-plus stand broke, New Zealand collapsed from 178 for 3 to 243 all out inside 49 overs. In reply, India rarely looked in trouble with the bat. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli all but sealed the game by scoring fifties before Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik took the side home. With the win, India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Following the game, former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar was in conversation with pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Scott Styris alongside as part of the broadcaster’s post-match show. With India dominating the proceedings in New Zealand, Gavaskar cheekily asked Bhuvneshwar whether it was tougher for the Indian bowlers to bowl to their teammates or the New Zealand players in the game. And while many felt Gavaskar’s comment would offend Styris, he left one and all in stitches with a hilarious dig at his own country.
“So tell me is it a greater challenge to bowl to Indian batsmen in the nets than to ball to the New Zealand batsmen in the match,” Gavaskar asked Bhuvneshwar.
“Depends,” Bhuvneshwar answered.
“You and I Sunny, are falling out here,” Styris intervened before Gavaskar quickly clarified saying” “Just asking.”
“Probably is. We are speculating in the New Zealand commentary box whether the Indian men’s team should take on the Indian women’s teams tomorrow instead. Might be much fairer contest,” Styris replied.
Indian women’s team are also in New Zealand for the ongoing ODIs. Mithali Raj & Co. won the first game by nine wickets and will be looking to seal the three-match series on Tuesday.