Mount Maunganui, November 13 (IANS): India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed serious concerns over the team’s batting performance after India suffered a humiliating 244-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth ODI at Bay Oval on Friday. Reacting to the shocking collapse, Gambhir said Indian batters must learn to tackle challenging conditions rather than allowing opposition bowlers to dominate them.
India were bowled out for just 89 runs in 26.4 overs while chasing a target of 334. New Zealand pacer Matt Henry produced a career-best performance, claiming six wickets for just 27 runs and dismantling India’s batting line-up.
The defeat was India’s second-heaviest loss in One-Day International cricket. However, India still lead the five-match series 2-1, with the fifth and final ODI scheduled to take place at the same venue on Sunday.
‘There Are No Unplayable Deliveries in International Cricket’: Gambhir
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Gambhir said the Indian batters should have been better prepared to counter Matt Henry’s disciplined bowling. He argued that the movement available to the New Zealand bowlers was not significant enough to justify India’s dramatic batting collapse.
“There are no unplayable deliveries in international cricket. Matt Henry bowled in good areas, but we should be able to negate that,” Gambhir said.
He further explained that the accuracy and lengths of the deliveries created problems for Indian batters, who remained stuck in their crease instead of responding positively to the bowling attack.
According to Gambhir, adapting to difficult conditions is an essential responsibility of international batters, and the team must find better ways to deal with seam movement and disciplined bowling.
Repeated Batting Collapses Worry Indian Coach
Gambhir admitted that India’s repeated batting failures were a major concern, particularly with the team needing to prepare for challenging playing conditions ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
He pointed out that India had also struggled in the previous ODI, losing seven wickets for just 111 runs, although the team eventually secured a seven-wicket victory under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
The coach said the team needed to develop both the mental strength and technical ability required to survive difficult batting conditions.
Gambhir also stressed that scoring 35 to 40 runs without losing a wicket would be a reasonable start in challenging conditions.
He expressed hope that the experienced Indian batting line-up would learn from its mistakes and make the necessary adjustments in the final ODI.
Dropped Catch of Will Young Proves Costly
Gambhir also highlighted India’s fielding mistakes, particularly the missed opportunity to dismiss New Zealand batter Will Young.
Young was dropped by Auqib Nabi and made India pay for the mistake by scoring an impressive 125 runs off 108 deliveries. His century helped New Zealand post a formidable total of 333/8 in their allotted 50 overs.
Gambhir said the dropped catch could have changed the course of the match, although he acknowledged that such assessments were easier in hindsight.
He observed that missed opportunities in the field often prove expensive at the international level, especially when opposition batters capitalise on them.
Gambhir Praises Indian Bowling Unit Despite Defeat
Despite the disappointing result, Gambhir expressed satisfaction with the performance of India’s bowling attack.
Indian bowlers managed to claim eight New Zealand wickets, with Axar Patel, Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi taking two wickets each.
Gambhir said he was proud of every player representing the country and appreciated the effort put in by the bowling unit.
His comments indicated that the batting performance, rather than the bowling effort, remained the biggest concern following the heavy defeat.
India and New Zealand Set for Series Decider on Sunday
With the fourth ODI result reducing India’s lead in the five-match series to 2-1, attention has now shifted to the final match scheduled for Sunday at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
India will look to overcome the batting setbacks and secure the series with a victory, while New Zealand will aim to level the series by winning the decider.
For Gambhir and the Indian team management, the final ODI will provide an important opportunity to address the batting weaknesses exposed by New Zealand’s bowling attack.
The biggest challenge for India will be to demonstrate greater patience, adaptability and resilience against quality pace bowling. With the World Cup preparations also in focus, the performance in the series decider could offer valuable lessons for the Indian batting line-up.
