IND vs NZ | 3rd T20I - Today I Learnt - Ravindra Jadeja’s new-found role and Kane Williamson proving a point

BySritama Panda,SportsCafe Editor

01/29/2020

India sealed the T20I series 3-0, their first in New Zealand, in the most dramatic way possible with the hosts losing three Super Overs in international cricket within just seven months. Rohit Sharma steered India’s path in all ways possible as India tasted victory even on a rare off-day for Bumrah.

Bowling different lengths won’t stop run-accumulator Rohit Sharma

When on song, the Indian opener becomes unstoppable. New Zealand, specifically, need to note that one after today’s onslaught by Rohit Sharma in the sixth over, been bowled by Hamish Bennett. Australia have suffered recently and their neighbours should’ve been well aware of what was incoming for them. When it’s Rohit Sharma you’re going to face, there’s no scope of ignoring a proper homework. The three sixes that were smashed by the HIT-man in that over, that conceded 27 runs, were scored off three deliveries of different lengths- one too short, a good length delivery a little wide outside off, and the final one overpitched. Sharma, who started the over at 24*, finished it with a half-century and also reached 10,000 international runs as an opener.

Tim Southee’s timed awakening across formats is just a mask for his dying pace

Gone are the times when Tim Southee’s pace was a factor in New Zealand’s win. No, he is not even old or reaching the end to his career, he’s just 30. But the days when the Boult-Southee pair was a threat are in the past now. Since the 2015 World Cup, Southee’s numbers in One Day Internationals are hard to look at. That led to him only featuring in one game of the 2019 World Cup. But ever since then, the pacer has been delivering and even leading for the team. However, the pace is just not there and that just kills the cause. In the final over of the Hamilton game, he bowled four deliveries below 119kph and got whacked for two sixes of them. The worst part is that while the slower delivery is a deceiving weapon for every fast bowler, Southee’s genuine slowers will never make any difference, guess why!

Ravindra Jadeja is a breakthrough bowler

Not once, but three times in a row in this ongoing series has Ravindra Jadeja bagged a wicket off the very first over of his spell. Whatever be the situation, Jadeja just waltzes in and removes a set batsman with absolute ease. In the first two T20Is, in Auckland, India used him traditionally in the middle overs - starting his spell in the eleventh over - and he surprised everyone with a breakthrough in both the times. That was definitely the biggest reason behind Kohli sending him in in the seventh over today, replacing Yuzvendra Chahal right away. The tactic worked fine for India as Jadeja worked his magic once again, but this time the victim was much bigger with Colin Munro been uprooted. India had perfectly trapped Munro, with piling on the dot-ball pressure on him, and that made the New Zealand opener charge out of his crease as KL Rahul yielded a perfect stumping. Three in three for Jadeja!

Jasprit Bumrah can also disappoint

“Bumrah is the best death bowler. But even the best have off-days “- tweeted Harsha Bhogle. Don’t worry, Indian fans. Jasprit Bumrah can have a bad day too but the special thing is it happened for the very first time in ages. The death bowling legend in limited-overs had a rare bad day in cricket and that should be a reality check for India who rely heavily on Bumrah in the final overs. The right-arm pacer conceded 25 runs in the final two overs of his spell giving New Zealand an acceleration in their chase. Even his crafty slower balls went in vain against New Zealand captain Williamson’s charging. Sure Bumrah had a few mishaps happening in the field during his overs but that doesn’t justify his 45 for 0 off his four-over spell.

Common saying that Kane Williamson is not fit for T20s is a joke

Traditionally, a text-book cricketer, a pure gentleman like Kane Williamson is seen as a pure Test cricketer - which he is - and hardly anything beyond that. As far as ODIs are concerned, the format just finds its relevance in the once-in-four-years ICC Cricket World Cup and Williamson is considered to be an out and out hero in that as well. Be it a purists’ thought process or a narrow-minded declaration, but Williamson not fitting into the shortest format of the game has spread like wildfire. But from his performances in this series so far, those sayings have just been reduced to a myth. A splendid 26-ball 51 in the 1st T20I, followed by an outstanding career-best of 95 off 48 deliveries are testimony to Williamson’s prowess in T20Is. So the next time anyone questions the New Zealand skipper’s grasp over the shortest format, slap them with these innings.