On the pitch during the 2023 World Cup match against New Zealand on Sunday (October 22) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, Team India captain Rohit Sharma and senior player Virat Kohli engaged in an enthusiastic conversation.
Indian bowlers have controlled all four World Cup encounters so far, taking wickets in the middle overs with success.
On Sunday, however, New Zealand hitters Rachin Ravindra and Daryll Mitchell excelled against the Indian spin pair of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.
They were particularly harsh on Kuldeep, playing him aggressively and not allowing him to get into his groove.
As a result, for the first time in the competition, Indian captain Rohit Sharma appeared perplexed as Ravindra and Mitchell played smoothly and put on a 159-run third-wicket stand.
During the match, as New Zealand reached a score of 160/2 in just 31 overs, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were observed engaged in a focused discussion regarding their team’s position and strategies to break the opposing partnership. Both players had valuable input to share with each other, though it seemed that neither of them felt entirely satisfied with the outcome of their conversation.
The video is available to view below:
Mohammed Shami’s crucial breakthrough, gets rid of Rachin Ravindra in the 34th over in IND vs NZ World Cup match
Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl first, citing the probability of dew in the second half as the reason for his decision. To give India a solid start in the powerplay, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami removed New Zealand’s openers cheaply.
Rachin Ravindra (78) and Daryl Mitchell joined together at 19/2 in the eighth over and went on to provide a fantastic partnership for the Kiwis squad. They brilliantly balanced prudence and aggressiveness, putting Indian bowlers under strain.
The pair put up a 159-run stand, laying the groundwork for their team. Mohammed Shami eventually broke their stand in the 34th over, dispatching Ravindra after a miscued big smash.
New Zealand reached 219/4 in the first innings of today’s World Cup play after 40 overs.
