Calling it a wake-up call would be an understatement as the Indian batting lineup fell flat against a ferocious Trent Boult swinging the ball both ways. Boult bowled like a warhorse, completing his 10 overs in one go and picking up 5 wickets. The Indian batting lineup was soon in shambles which led to their 7th-lowest total in ODIs and 2nd lowest against New Zealand.
Boult sent back both the openers using swing at Seddon Park, Hamilton. After Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s wickets, Colin de Grandhomme chipped in and got rid of Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik. They went back to the pavilion without giving any trouble to the scorekeepers.
The challenge turned out to be too tough for 19-year-old debutant Shubman Gill. Hardik Pandya tried to counter the attack by targetting Boult and hit him for three boundaries in one over. But, the Kiwi left-arm pacer had the last laugh as he got Pandya’s wicket in the same over. He ended up taking a fifer for 21 runs. His marathon spell included 4 maiden overs.
The Kuldeep-Chahal duo tried to save India from further embarrassment. They stitched a 35-run partnership off 57 deliveries. At one point, it seemed that the spin duo would take the visitors past 100 but they were bundled out for 92 in the 31st over. Chahal top-scored for India with his unbeaten 18 off 37 deliveries.
The target of 93 did not pose much of a threat for the hosts. They lost two early wickets but due to lack of pressure, Henry Nicholls and Ross Taylor finished the match early in the 15th over. This is India’s worst ODI defeat in terms of balls remaining (212). The previous worst was against Sri Lanka in 2010 at Dambulla.
As Indians woke up and checked the scorecard, they were found rubbing their eyes in disbelief. For the first time on the tour, Indian batting lineup faltered like this. The impact of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni’s absence was showing already. People took to Twitter to express themselves:
“Trent Boult” exposed again.#4thODI #NZvsIND pic.twitter.com/BNkdHD3h8R
— Rohan Thakur (@baelessPurush) January 31, 2019
*Trent Boult bowls inswing delivery*
Indian Batsmen:#INDvNZ #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/G0dp4Ytzb8
— Meme-Dev (@AsPratham05) January 31, 2019
“Trent Boult” exposed Indian middle order in #4thODI #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/jx0JEI8RdJ
— Rohan Thakur (@baelessPurush) January 31, 2019
Trent Boult was having none of it!#NZvIND #NZvsIND #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/iisi5xNc87
— CricBlog (@cric_blog) January 31, 2019
Indian batting to Trent Boult: #INDvNZ #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/mE9wmQaEop
— Vaibhav (@imvrb_09) January 31, 2019
Team India performance so far in New Zealand.#INDvNZ #4thODI pic.twitter.com/kkAT2hObvt
— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) January 31, 2019
Wagon wheel of Indian batsmen#4thODI pic.twitter.com/eUw5435vls
— AKSHAY SHARMA (@akshaygoutam7) January 31, 2019
Indian Fans – Why Dhoni not playing today?
Team Management –#INDvsNZ #NZvIND #4thODI pic.twitter.com/DgjBmwsAEl
— Dhavan kadia (@dhaone110) January 31, 2019
#NZvIND #IndianCricketTeam
Fans after watching India’s performance in the #4thODI: pic.twitter.com/GILkBHRsrS— Hunney Mittal (@hunney_mittal) January 31, 2019
Indian Batting Today pic.twitter.com/9EVPQPCbQj
— $iđđhēsh (@IamSiddhesh89) January 31, 2019
Indian team before Indian team
Match after few
How’s the Josh few overs. #4thODI pic.twitter.com/mTCZichV8b— Anshuman Mishra (@Anshuman86m) January 31, 2019
DK: Boult is getting all of us…
Rayudu: I have an idea
DK: What is that?
Rayudu : Let’s get out to Colin De Grandhomme …#NZvIND #4thODI— enchantment (@bhargavs_) January 31, 2019
Without #Dhoni & #Virat #4thODI pic.twitter.com/4tSijIgb5c
— FARUKH (@ImFRK08) January 31, 2019
Ahead of World Cup 2019, India’s main concern is batting in swing-friendly conditions. Similar to Hamilton, Indian batting lineup faltered against New Zealand in 2017 at Dharamsala as well.
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