India suffered a massive 244-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the 4th ODI of the 5-match series at Mount Manganui, as they were bundled out for just 89, while chasing a target of 334. Matt Henry was the chief destructor, finishing with career-best figures of 6/27.
This was India’s second-heaviest ODI defeat in history. Reflecting on this big loss, stand-in India captain Shreyas Iyer pointed to the difference in pitch behaviour between the two innings as the main reason behind it.
“We saw it; there was a huge difference in the first innings and the second innings in terms of wickets, but also credit where it’s due, the way Henry bowled in the right areas right from ball one. I think that was sensational,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
‘We tried everything’
New Zealand’s imposing first-innings total of 333 was built around Will Young, who slammed 125 from 108 deliveries. Tim Seifert provided valuable support with 58 off 48 balls, while Finn Allen’s 41 off 30 balls gave the hosts an aggressive start.
Iyer admitted that India struggled to contain New Zealand’s attacking approach despite trying different bowling combinations and strategies. He also acknowledged that dropped catches proved costly, while crediting the opposition’s bowlers for making the most of the conditions during the chase.
“I think we tried almost everything in the first innings, the way they were playing on the rise. And we thought that the wicket was better to bat on, considering they got 330 after that,” the Indian captain said.
“Obviously, a couple of dropped catches, but that definitely happens in a game. But yeah, when we got into the dressing room, we thought that we would be cruising through the chase as well. But the way the ball was seaming in and out, you couldn’t basically decide from inside that this is how I’m going to play. Or even if you saw the wickets, no one threw the wicket away. It was good deliveries,” he added.
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‘Important to forget this’
New Zealand have now come back to make the series 2-1, with the final ODI being a must-win for India if they want to secure the series.
Despite the setback, Iyer stressed the importance of approaching the series finale with a fresh mindset.
“It’s important to forget about this one, obviously, and analyse what went wrong in terms of bowling and batting. But at the back of the mind it’s important that we have also won two games. So, a lot of inspiration from that one and see to it that we come with a fresh set of mind,” he concluded.