New Zealand’s stand-in captain for the India ODI series, Michael Bracewell, delivered a captain’s spell in Rajkot, producing a highly economical bowling performance that shifted momentum firmly in the visitors’ favour. His crucial breakthrough of Ravindra Jadeja came at a decisive moment, ending a growing partnership between Jadeja and KL Rahul that had begun to steady India’s innings after early setbacks in the second ODI.
Asked to bat first by Bracewell, India found conditions far tougher than expected. The Rajkot surface offered just enough assistance to reward discipline, and the New Zealand bowlers responded with impressive control. They bowled tight lines, varied their pace smartly, and rarely allowed India’s batters to settle into a rhythm. Unlike the run-fest many anticipated, Indian batters were forced to grind their way through the innings.
After Virat Kohli’s unlucky dismissal—chopping the ball back onto his stumps—Ravindra Jadeja walked in at No. 6 with the responsibility of rebuilding. The experienced all-rounder adopted a calm, measured approach, focusing on strike rotation and risk management. Alongside KL Rahul, Jadeja stitched together India’s most crucial partnership of the innings, adding over 70 runs for the fifth wicket when India were staring at the possibility of a collapse.
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Just when the partnership looked set to blossom, Bracewell struck with one of the softest dismissals of the match. Jadeja attempted to work a delivery outside off stump towards long-on but ended up chipping it straight back to the bowler. Bracewell reacted sharply, diving to his left to complete a comfortable catch. Jadeja departed for 27, marking the first caught-and-bowled dismissal of his ODI career—an unusual end for such a seasoned campaigner.
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Earlier, India’s only other meaningful stand came at the top, where Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill added 70 runs for the opening wicket. However, once that partnership was broken, India struggled to maintain momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals and failing to build sustained alliances in the middle overs.
KL Rahul once again emerged as India’s pillar. While Jadeja focused on stability, Rahul took on the role of the aggressor, finding gaps and punishing loose deliveries. After Jadeja’s dismissal, Rahul continued to anchor the innings and built another valuable partnership with Nitish Kumar Reddy, ensuring India did not completely lose their way.
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Unlike his finishing role in the first ODI—where he scored an unbeaten 29 off 21 balls to seal the chase—Rahul played a contrasting innings in Rajkot. He paced himself expertly, starting cautiously before accelerating at key moments. His composure and game awareness lifted India to a competitive and potentially defendable total, one that had seemed out of reach earlier in the innings.
As India edged closer to the 300-run mark, Rahul also approached his eighth ODI century, underlining the significance of his knock. From a position of vulnerability, India fought their way back, largely on the back of Rahul’s maturity and resilience.
