Shreyas Iyer Stared India’s dig in Hamilton with his first One-Day International Hundred that supported India set New Zealand an impressive 348 in the opening one-dayer. Iyer partook century stands with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul as India stacked on the runs with New Zealand’s bowling attack creating the batsmen little concern after opting to bowl on Wednesday (February 6).
New Zealand’s bowlers got a bit of seam movement early on in the innings with the new ball that the Indian debutant pair of openers – Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal – negated patiently. The duo slowly descended in and gave India a constant start before befalling in consecutive overs after a fifty-run partnership. Anything short was dismissed as runs immediately started flowing from both ends. Once the pair departed with India at 54/2 in the ninth over, Iyer and Kohli slowly, yet steadily, rebuilt from scratch without offering the bowlers any chances. Kohli was quick between the wickets, while Iyer, despite trouble in his left elbow kept him able company in a slow start. Iyer followed Kohli’s footsteps to reach his half-century as India gained momentum with the run-rate gradually on the rise on a good wicket where batting became easier once the ball got older.
However, it wasn’t until the fall of Kohli’s wicket, who misread the googly from Ish Sodhi to have his stumps knocked over, that India pressed on the accelerator. New Zealand would’ve hoped to make inroads and keep India in check after that Kohli-Iyer stand that yielded 102. Rahul, though, ensured that didn’t happen, milking the purple patch he finds himself in. He attacked from the onset as New Zealand’s bowlers struggled with their lengths to him. What also didn’t help their cause is Rahul’s versatility to play shots around the park. He dominated the offside scoring most of his runs coming in the V in front of the wicket.
Tim Southee, who was recuperating from the scars from the T20I series, was subjected to further beating, conceding as many as 85 runs in his quota of overs. Southee hadn’t learned his lesson from the recently-concluded series that India won 5-0 persisted with length deliveries at the death, only to be dispatched beyond the boundary ropes by the fourth-wicket pair in his second spell. While Rahul took on the bowlers, it gave Iyer the freedom to let loose post his half-century from the other end as the pair added 136 in a quick time.
In that passage of play, Southee leaked 29 runs in two overs, as India looked set to get to 350. While Southee was effective with the new ball, his limited options in terms of variations in the death hurt New Zealand as India were running away with the game. Colin de Grandhomme dropped Iyer on 84 off a miscue, as Rahul reached his fifty. Although Iyer got his maiden ton and fell soon after, Rahul didn’t relent, and along with Kedar Jadhav, who chipped in with a handy cameo of 26 off 15.
New Zealand was weak with the ball in patches. They couldn’t execute their slower balls or yorkers, bowled length when the batsmen were looking to score runs and conceded as many as 27 extras with 19 wides. They conceded 56 runs in the last five overs with Rahul remaining unbeaten on 88 off 64 with six sixes and three fours forcing New Zealand under the pump.
Brief scores: India 347/4 in 50 overs (Shreyas Iyer 103, KL Rahul 88*, Virat Kohli 51; Tim Southee 2-85) vs New Zealand.
