India were caught on the wrong foot against the swinging ball in their first warm-up match against New Zealand ahead of ICC World Cup 2019 on Saturday.
While majority of India’s top-order struggled to cope with the incoming delivery of Trent Boult, who picked up three wickets in his first spell, Indian captain Virat Kohli was done in by a terrific in-swinger from Colin de Grandhomme.
Kohli, who was looking positive despite regular wickets at the other end, was stunned by a Grandhomme delivery which swung late and uprooted his off stump.
Kohli was batting on 18 off 23 when Grandhomme got the ball to swing back in slightly from a good length in the 11th over. India were reduced to 39 for 4 after winning the toss and opting to bat first on a bowling-friendly wicket.
The World No. 2 side never quite recovered from early jolts and if it wasn’t for a dogged half-century from Ravindra Jadeja (54), India could well have been dismissed under 150.
As it turned out, India were bowled out for 179.
In reply, the New Zealand batters were troubled early on by Jasprit Bumrah, who got rid of Colin Munro with a toe-crushing yorker in the second over but as soon as the sun came out, the experienced pair of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson got together to steady the New Zealand innings. Williamson was dismissed for 67 but Taylor remianed on 71 as New Zealand reached home with 6 wickets in their bank.
India next face Bangladesh in their next warm-up match on May 28 before starting of their World Cup campaign against South Africa on June 5.
First Published:
May 26, 2019 10:34 IST
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