CHENNAI: As Indian cricket experienced a deja vu at the hands of Matt Henry in Mount Maunganui on Friday, it sent a reminder on the challenges of conditions overseas and how the usually-explosive batting line-up is far from ready for the ODI World Cup challenge next year. If there were any doubts about it, head coach Gautam Gambhir's press conference cleared it all.
The former opener was explicit about the concerns of adapting to conditions. And it was not just about the loss — India's first in the format on this tour — but how the star-studded batting line-up that smacks around bowlers for fun at home folded in less than 27 overs.
Truth be told, the visitors have lost five wickets or more in every ODI match this tour (third one was a complete washout) despite leading 2-1. In the first two matches, the bowlers did enough damage that the target was not high enough to put pressure on the batters.
Friday was the first time India experienced that in the chase of 334. And they were all out for 89. In fact, the contest was lost in the first six balls. The rest seemed only a matter of time.
To give this line-up the benefit of the doubt, it was the first ODI in the country for Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad. Axar Patel and Naman Dhir are playing their first ODI series in New Zealand. Same goes for Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi. In fact, the only multiple-time tourists (from the XI) in the country are Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Kuldeep Yadav. All three of the batters fell for ducks in the very first over.
Therein lies India's big problem. Among the batters in contention for the World Cup, no one has played more in challenging conditions (read SENA countries) than Virat (72) and Rohit (65). The next experienced batter on the list is Shreyas and he has played only 27.
There are two ways to look at it. Have India delayed the transition so much that the rest did not get much experience in these conditions? There could be certain merit to that argument. But the two stalwarts also have the best record among Indian batters in SENA (barring Sachin Tendulkar) since Rohit's ODI debut in 2007.
With less than 12 months to go for the World Cup, it only reiterates the significance and responsibility the two senior batters hold. Truth be told, there might not be a need to over-react after the first loss of the ODI series. Kohli's fifty helped India win in the first match and Rohit's brisk start set the tone before the mini-collapse and recovery during the second. They have contributed to the two wins India have to show. But perhaps it is just not enough considering the inexperience of the rest. After all, to bring back the famous quote of Kohli from 2019, "45 minutes of bad cricket" in a crucial match could cost everything in a World Cup.
Which is why, as much as these are invaluable learning experiences for the rest of the batting line-up — they hardly get to bat at home considering top-heavy shows on flat pitches at home — India will look to Kohli and Rohit to step up and show the rest how to adapt and win matches in challenging conditions. That is exactly what India would need from them come the World Cup in South Africa next year.
Sunday offers another chance for Rohit and Kohli to do just that before they come home and pile on runs against Sri Lanka in December.