Virat Kohli fielding effort - (Source: ScreenGrab)
On Sunday, January 18, the third and final ODI of the series between India and New Zealand got underway at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Men in Blue won the toss and opted to field first. The decision turned out to be gold as the Kiwis lost two early wickets.
Darly Mitchell again rose to the occasion and slammed a fifty to pull New Zealand out of a crumble. Despite the growing partnership for the fourth wicket, the body language was on point, and the fielding standards were also good. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli, who is known for his energetic fielding and animated style on the field, had a dull moment, which quickly went viral on social media.
Virat Kohli's dedication for the game took over the internet
Notably, in one of the overs, the ball travelled towards Virat Kohli, who was in motion when he tried to pick it up. However, Kohli didn’t get hold of the ball and fumbled it a few times. The clip showed Virat’s dedication and commitment for the game as the star India batter was upset and frustrated with himself for the fielding error.
Virat also kicked his leg in the air in anger, as he could have saved a single.
India's fielding on-point in 3rd ODI
Notably, New Zealand registered a comfortable seven wicket win in the 2nd ODI against India and one of the major reason behind Kiwis' comprehensive win was Men in Blue's poor fielding. The hosts dropped several chances, including Prasidh Krishna dropping Daryl Mitchell's catch, who went onto score an unbeaten 131 (117).
However, the Men in Blue have learnt from their mistakes and rectified the errors in the ongoing game. So far, Harshit Rana pulled a brilliant effort to take a catch and Ravindra Jadeja stole the limelight after a sharp take at point to get rid of dangerous looking Will Young.
Talking about the ongoing match, at the time of writing this article, New Zealand are going strong and have put 170/3 on the board after 31.2 overs.
Shubman Gill points out poor fielding in 2nd ODI
Following the 2nd ODI, India skipper Shubman Gill had also pointed out the fielding woes and assured fans that the team is looking to get better in the field.
"Even in the last match, we let down a couple of chances. It's one thing that we are always doing, especially with this team. We are always trying to get better at fielding. It's one aspect that we're always trying to get better at. And yes, if you don't take your chances, in this format, it always makes you lose," Gill said in post-match presentation.
Notably, the pressure is real for T. Dilip, India's fielding coach. The star coach had introduced the best fielding medal during 2023 ODI World Cup, which became an instant hit and also raised the fielding standards in Indian cricket.
