Innings
India beats New Zealand by 35 runs in fifth ODI to claim 4-1 series win against New Zealand at Wellington.
India recovered to 252 all out after being reduced to 18 for 4 at one stage. Ambati Rayudu led the fightback with 90, while Vijay Shankar and Hardik Pandya scored 45 each.
Brief scores:
India: 252 all out in 49.5 overs (Shankar 45, Rayudu 90, Pandya 45; Henry 4/35).
New Zealand: 217 all out in 44.1 overs (James Neesham 44; Yuzvendra Chahal 3/41).
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Preview
Pushed out of their comfort zone by some incisive swing bowling in challenging conditions, a jolted India will gain confidence from Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s return as they aim to finish the five-match series against New Zealand on a high.
India’s most experienced ODI player was out with a hamstring injury during the last two matches and his return couldn’t have been timed better after their inexplicable collapse for 92 in Hamilton.
A 4-1 margin will look much better than 3-2 but it will be easier said than done in Wellington.
Assistant coach Sanjay Bangar believes India’s batting collapse in the fourth ODI was an “aberration” and reposed faith on the middle-order, saying it has mostly delivered whenever put in a tough situation.
India’s batting came a cropper in the Hamilton game as they were dismissed for their seventh lowest total of 92.
However, Bangar said it was an one-odd failure.
“The middle order has rose to the occasion many times and delivered. Yes some situation has been trying but it is not that the middle order hasn’t performed,” Bangar told reporters ahead of the fifth ODI against New Zealand here Sunday.
New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham heaped praise on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying that “you don’t have the game won until you have him out.” Before the ODI series in Australia, questions were raised over Dhoni’s waning abilities with the bat but he silenced his critics with three back-to-back half-centuries.
Before missing out on the third and fourth ODI against New Zealand due to hamstring injury, the 37-year-old scored an unbeaten 48 and behind the stumps, he remains as sharp as ever.
“His record speaks for itself. He is a fantastic player. I know there were some noises in the Indian media if he should be in the World Cup squad or not. He has got that calm demeanour in the middle-order. When you are bowling to him, you know you have not got the game won until you get him out,” said Neesham ahead of the fifth ODI.
