India in New Zealand ODIs, 2019

[PKBasu]

Vijay Shankar is already showing how much better he is as a batsman than Rayudu. The latter has made 2 off 21 balls, Vijay Shankar 12 off 23. (Interestingly the latter has dominated the strike since he came in, and is forcing the lazy Rayudu to take quicker runs too).

[PKBasu]

Dhoni was bowled off a beauty, having escaped a poor LBW shout earlier...

[PKBasu]

It is a pleasure to watch Vijay Shankar bat. Fluent footwork is the heart of his approach -- a distinct contrast to the poking style of Rayudu, whose footwork makes him look unbalanced a lot of the time.

[ankit1407]

Rayudu is batting without any purpose , I guess aware that his position might be at risk so just want to stay for as long as possible and hope for some runs later .. lucky to have played so many matches for India at #4

[PKBasu]

Rayudu plays so much away from his body -- with a massive gap between bat and pad -- that it's amazing he has played so many matches for India (most of them, of course, on flat Indian pitches or in Zimbabwe at a time when Zimbabwe was at its nadir).

[Sin Hombre]

Rayudu is batting without any purpose , I guess aware that his position might be at risk so just want to stay for as long as possible and hope for some runs later .. lucky to have played so many matches for India at #4

Unfortunately, this innings will seal his spot at the WC. He is batting like his mentor Dhoni after all.

[ankit1407]

I was thinking the same , this Inning pretty much gets him on the plane .. has looked so uncomfortable and lucky to be still not out .. oh well I wish him luck and flat tracks if he is going to be our #4 in wc ..

[ankit1407]

Oh boy run out that too of Shankar ..

[Sin Hombre]

Rayadu runs out his opposition.

[prasen9]

Dhoni was bowled off a beauty, having escaped a poor LBW shout earlier...

It was a good ball. But, as they showed later on, it did not deviate much. Gentle swing. But, the swing that was happening was on his mind. Shankar has been very impressive batting. He should be played as a batting allrounder in the next five matches.

[Sin Hombre]

Dhoni was bowled off a beauty, having escaped a poor LBW shout earlier...

It was a good ball. But, as they showed later on, it did not deviate much. Gentle swing. But, the swing that was happening was on his mind. Shankar has been very impressive batting. He should be played as a batting allrounder in the next five matches.

I would agree but he needed a really big knock here. Got robbed by Rayadu though.

[Sin Hombre]

Very good hitting from Hardik gets us to 250.

Would like to see Shankar get to play all 5 matches against Aus. Decent fielder and can bowl a bit in the middle overs, but very solid technique and doesn't need to block 20 balls to get going.

Even with Dhoni, the team suddenly looks solid then.

[prasen9]

It does not matter. We will most possibly be taking him as the backup. Give him the chances in the ODIs in India.

If Dhoni had actually done the Dhoni thing on this wicket, we would have reached 260-270. Thanks to Rayudu, Shankar, and Pandya, we have a total to bowl at. Well, maybe Kedar too.

[Sin Hombre]

If Dhoni had done the Dhoni thing, we would have been looking at 200-220.

Shankar, unlike Dhoni and Rayadu, kept the scoreboard ticking right from the get go.

Would like to see this xi against Aus

Rohit
Dhawan
Kohli
Dhoni
Shankar
Jadhav
Hardik
Kuldeep
Bhuvi/Shami
Chahal
Bumrah

[PKBasu]

The worst thing that could have happened is Rayudu getting the MoM award today. He ran out Vijay Shankar -- who would have done much better had he stayed on. Rayudu's first two sixes were both horrible mishits -- and soon afterwards he ran out Vijay Shankar. I hope the selectors noticed that the one who actually showed he is a proper international batsman today was Vijay Shankar -- not Rayudu.