Mohammad Azharuddin praises Team India for their dominant performance against New Zealand

Team India stamped their authority all over the Kiwis with a brilliant 90-run win in the second ODI at Mount Maunganui. Rohit Sharma came up with a Man of the Match performance, while Dhawan made 66, adding 154 runs for the first wicket.

Then Ambati Rayudu (47), Virat Kohli (43) and MS Dhoni (48*) blasted India to 324/4. New Zealand might have thought they had a chance against the Indian bowlers this time. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked two wickets up front to deal a blow to their chances and then Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal took over.

Chahal picked two wickets, while Kuldeep picked his second four-fer in two matches as Kiwis faltered to 234 all out and conceded 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. Doug Bracewell tried his best to delay the inevitable with a well made 57, but it was not to be for the Kiwis on the night.

Azhar lauds Kuldeep and Chahal

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin had some kind words for the Indian spin twins and said, “Until you find ways to read Kuldeep and Chahal, you will not succeed. It’s still easier to play a finger spinner but very difficult to bat against wrist spinners.”

“We have a very good team and it has been performing this way for the last 4-5 years now. Not just one-day, we have a very good side across formats. The standard of other teams may have gone down a little but we have just gone from strength-to-strength. Whoever will compete with us, the result will be same,” he was quoted as saying by India Today.

Azhar also gave his views on Virat Kohli being rested from the last two ODIs and the three-T20I series that will follow. Rohit Sharma is set to lead the Indian team in Kohli’s absence and Azharuddin found nothing wrong in giving the premier batsman of the side some rest.

“Virat Kohli also needs rest. He has been playing continuously for a long time now. He is scoring runs consistently and is also a very active fielder, so it’s good that he is getting a rest,” the former cricketer added.

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~Written by Jatin Sharma