Five Positives for Team India from the India vs NZ ODI Series

#3 A second-string bowling department does the job

The bowlers were on top for the Indians in the series victory (Image Courtesy: Bcci.tv)

With a plethora of Tst matches lined up ahead, the Indian selectors decided to rest most of the first-choice bowling options with the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar not selected for the series. It was an opportunity for bowlers like Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav and the others to establish themselves as regulars.

And boy did they grab the opportunity with both hands! On pitches that were flat and considered easy enough to bat on, the Indian bowlers didn’t give an inch to the Black Caps. In all five matches, the bowlers managed to restrict the Kiwis to under par scores, and if not for the batting collapses, India would have sealed the series much earlier.

Umesh Yadav was particularly impressive with the new ball, while Jasprit Bumrah continued his good form with the ball. Leggie Amit Mishra was at his brilliant best, and was ably supported by left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who didn’t pick as many wickets but kept a lid on the run-scoring. Offie Jayant Yadav put on a good show on his debut in the final ODI as well.

With the Champions Trophy in England not so far away, the display by what was largely a second-string bowling attack will have given a boost to the Indian team.