New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner said losing three early wickets put his team under pressure and they ended up posting a below par total against India in the second one-dayer in Pune.
India pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah wreaked havoc on the Kiwi top order removing openers Martin Guptill, Colin Munro and one down skipper Kane Williamson cheaply inside the first 10 overs.
“Obviously it’s a little bit disappointing. I think credit has to go to India the way they bowled in the start and put us under pressure,” the left-arm spinner told reporters at the post-match media conference in Pune on Wednesday night.
“Losing the first three in the first 10 overs is not ideal if you’re batting first.”
India dished out a clinical performance to outclass New Zealand by six wickets and level the series 1-1 with now the series decider to be played in Kanpur on October 29.
India batsman Shikhar Dhawan (68) and Dinesh Karthik (64) struck timely half centuries as India chased the target without much fuss.
“We knew that 230 was a little under-par and then the way they came out and batted I guess took the game away from us. Shikhar (Dhawan) played pretty well and finished off with (Dinesh) Karthik in the end,” said Santner.
Last year, New Zealand faltered in the fifth ODI at Visakhapatnam after leveling the series 2-2 and Santner said his team will look to not repeat the mistake when they play in the third and final game at Kanpur.
“It’s a bit disappointing with the loss tonight but we’ve learnt our part going to Kanpur. We’re hoping to take the series 2-1,” he said.
“Last year we didn’t put in a great performance to lose it 3-2 but I guess we can hit the ball rolling at Kanpur and then hopefully take the series 2-1.”
Santner, who also played in last year’s series, conceded that Indian batsmen played spin very well.
“They’re very good players of spin and the Indian players have grown up playing a lot of spin so it makes your job a lot tougher,” he said.
“I think my job is to be quite economical and try taking wickets through the middle and if I can take a few that helps but I guess today (last night) they chased their total pretty well.”
