Two good, two bad as Rohit Sharma's century leads India to tense win over New Zealand in ODI decider

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  • Rohit Sharma's 15th ODI century sent India on their way.

    With the two-sides locked 1-1 in the ODI series, India and New Zealand squared-up at the Green Park in Kanpur for the crunch decider.

    Kane Williamson won the toss and put the hosts in to bat first on a flat deck at Kanpur and the Indians duly capitalised on tons from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to register an imposing 337-run total.

    In the end, New Zealand’s brave chase of the target fell just six runs short to hand India a 2-1 victory after a hard-fought series.

    We look at the two good and bad performances from the ODI series decider.

    The Good

    Rohit Sharma’s fifth one-day century of 2017 lays India’s foundation

    With 46 runs to show for his last four ODI innings, it is safe to say that the Indian vice captain had not set the stage alight in the series. Sharma more than made up for his subdued performances in the opening two matches with a 138-ball 147 which set up India’s imposing total.

    The 30-year-old’s innings was laden with 18 boundaries and two sixes as he notched up his fifth ODI century of 2017 to underline his stellar year.

    Sharma also put together a mammoth 230-run partnership for the second wicket with skipper Virat Kohli which set up the platform for India’s huge score. This was the fourth 200-run plus partnership between the pair, making them the first duo to share as many in ODI history.

    The right-handed batsman was particularly impressive against the pacers early on as he picked his boundaries at will. A third double century seemed to be on the cards for Sharma before he miscued a slog against New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner to be caught in the deep by Tim Southee.

    The hundred was Sharma’s 15th in his one-day career as he also brought up 1000 runs in the calendar year while also becoming the fourth batsman to hit 150 sixes in the format.

    Virat Kohli effortlessly brings up 32nd hundred

    After his 121-run knock in Mumbai went in ultimately vain after the Kiwis completed a brilliant chase, Kohli continued to prove that scoring hundreds is an effortless task for him.

    The Indian skipper registered his sixth ODI century of 2017 in a year which has seen him notch up 1,460 runs for his country at a staggering average of 76.84. Kohli also breached the 9000-run mark in one-day cricket, the 19th batsman in history to do so, becoming the fastest to achieve the feat.

    The batting sensation’s 194 innings taken to hit the mark beat the previous quickest 205 innings taken by South Africa’s AB De Villiers.

    Kohli, who has already become the second highest century-maker in one-dayers after having overtaken Australia legend Rick Ponting, also overtook Rahul Dravid’s 48 centuries across all formats for India with only the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in front of him.

    The Bad

    Trent Boult comes in for some punishment

    After impressing with his immaculate control and variations in the opening two games of the series, it all went wrong for the New Zealand pacer in the decider.

    On a flat track bereft of any assistance for the pacers, the Kiwi bowler found the going tough as he was not able to replicate his previous performances.

    Sharma and Kohli never allowed the pacer to settle into a good rhythm and the 28-year-old left-arm bowler was carted for 12 boundaries in his expensive spell.

    Boult never looked like taking a wicket on Sunday with bowling partners Tim Southee and Adam Milne showing more control to stem the run-flow.

    In the end Boult finished with horrendous figures of 0-81 off his 10 overs to cap off a disappointing day in the field.

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar is taken to the cleaners by Colin Munro

    Just like Boult, Kumar has been impressive in the limited-overs format as of late for his country showing excellent form both opening the bowling and in the death overs.

    On Sunday however the 27-year-old was in for some heavy punishment from the Kiwi openers Martin Guptill and Colin Munro.

    The latter was particularly belligerent against the right-arm medium pacer as he welcomed Kumar with a six and three boundaries in the very first over of New Zealand’s innings.

    With no assistance from the Kanpur track, Kumar failed to restrict the Kiwi openers as he struggled to keep down the boundaries.

    The Indian bowler was taken for 51 runs in total in his opening spell of five overs as New Zealand got off to a flyer. In the end, he did pick up one wicket towards the death but his overall match figures read a sorry 1-92 off 10 overs.

    What was even more disappointing for Kumar was the fact that he was playing on a ground where he plays his first-class cricket for his home state.

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not have the best of days with the ball.

    Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not have the best of days with the ball.

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