After a shocking loss in the first One-Day International at Mumbai, India skipper Virat Kohli could not have asked for a better reaction from his bowlers in the ongoing second game in Pune.
India’s in-form pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah did not start on a bright note as New Zealand raced away to 20 in just the third over.
However, once Bhuvneshwar made Martin Guptill to edge one behind the wicket, the scenario changed as the Indian bowlers tightened the screw on Colin Munro and Kane Williamson.17 ball after Guptill was dismissed, New Zealand managed to score just 6 and the hosts reaped the rewards for their disciplined show as Bumrah sent back the dangerous Williamson.
The disciplined show had further rewards for Bhuvneshwar as he dismissed Munro too who was finding it extremely difficult to play his natural attacking game. The left-handed batsman began the innings on a good note, hitting Bhuvneshwar for a maximum. However, the pressure finally got the better of him as he too perished.
Video of the Day
At the same time, credit should be given to Bhuvneshwar not only for his disciplined bowling but also for setting up the dismissal. The right-arm pacer softened the Kiwi opener by a couple of short deliveries from around the wicket before switching back and bowling a knuckle delivery to knock off the bails.
The ball, which landed on the seam, hit the inside edge of the bat before deflecting off the back pad to hit the bails. As a result of that wicket, New Zealand were reduced to 27 for 3 in the seventh over.
Here is a clip of that dismissal:
https://twitter.com/vkcrick/status/923108658287751168