India have a chance to seal a series win when they face New Zealand in the second ODI on Saturday. The hosts had just about managed to win a thrilling first ODI, despite the Kiwis looking down and out halfway through their innings while chasing a target of 350.
India had reached a score of 349/8 and a majority of the runs were scored by an inspired Shubman Gill. The 23-year-old opener had scored a century in the previous ODI that he had played and he followed that up by scoring a historic double century on a track where most of his teammates, including the likes of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, failed to make a mark. Gill had smashed 208 runs in just 149 balls and the second best score for India after his was Rohit's 34 off 38 balls.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has said that he would like to see Rohit, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav to step up in the second ODI. “Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav will have to take responsibility. Even Hardik Pandya, although he was a bit unlucky with the way he got out in the first match,” said Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.
Pandya was dismissed in a rather bizarre fashion after setting a 74-run stand off just 67 balls with Gill in what was India's best partnership of the first ODI. He had been given out bowled despite the fact that the ball had not hit the stumps at all and it was New Zealand wicketkeeper and captain Tom Latham who had whipped off the bails.
{{/usCountry}}Pandya was dismissed in a rather bizarre fashion after setting a 74-run stand off just 67 balls with Gill in what was India's best partnership of the first ODI. He had been given out bowled despite the fact that the ball had not hit the stumps at all and it was New Zealand wicketkeeper and captain Tom Latham who had whipped off the bails.
{{/usCountry}}Jaffer said that he would especially like to see Rohit score a century. The 35-year-old has a 29 ODI centuries to his name but he hasn't reached three figures since January 2020. Overall, Rohit has scored just two centuries in ODIs in over three years. “The other three certainly have to step up. It has been a long time since we saw a century from Rohit in ODI cricket. He is batting well but we have not got to see a three-digit figure from him,” said Jaffer.