Dhoni caught in a spot of bother

Thiruvananthapuram, November 7
MS Dhoni’s batting position will be under the spotlight as India aim to go for the kill against a gutsy New Zealand in the third T20 International here tomorrow even as weather threatens to play spoilsport. The series is levelled at 1-1 and just like in the preceding Australia series, in which the T20I series decider in Hyderabad was washed out, there are chances that the decider could be abandoned.
The Virat Kohli-led team has been on a roll in recent times but has faced stiff resistance from an enterprising New Zealand, usually known to punch above their weight. It’s nearly three decades (29 years) since the city witnessed an international match; the contest has become even more significant with the whispers questioning Dhoni’s place in the side getting a little louder.
Following India’s defeat in the second T20I in Rajkot on Saturday, former India great VVS Laxman said while Dhoni could still be a part of ODIs, it’s time to groom someone new in the shortest format. While 49 off 37 balls that Dhoni scored in the match may not look bad, his inability to rotate the strike and force the pace in early part of his innings has been a cause of concern. Given that Dhoni takes some time to settle down, a school of thought suggests that he will be better suited at No. 4, where he can afford to get his eye in.
Study in contrast
The Indian team’s performance has swung from one end to the other in the first two games. While they outplayed New Zealand in the first T20I by 53 runs, they were crushed by 40 runs in the second. If batting, save Kohli’s 65 off 42 balls, was disappointing in the defeat in Rajkot, the bowlers also did not cover themselves in glory, and the fielders, too, had a below-par day. Kohli admitted after the loss that the batsmen were not “good enough” and stressed the need for all to chip in. The visiting New Zealand side, which came into the T20 series as the No. 1 ranked side, has since been displaced by Pakistan. The Kiwis, however, can regain the top spot by beating India in the final game.
Kane happy
Captain Kane Williamson was happy after the team turned things around after the loss in the opening game. “I guess it was a contrasting performance from the last game. An improved performance on all sides, we need to keep doing this to beat India,” Williamson said after the win in Rajkot.
The Kiwis have been competitive in the preceding ODI series, which they lost narrowly, and are proving to be difficult customers in the T20Is too. While the batsmen have done well to counter the Indian bowlers, the Kiwi bowlers, too, have not let the team down. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, who wasn’t part of the original squad, has been a revelation and has kept the Indian batsmen under check with his clever variations.
Given how the series is placed and how competitive Kiwis have been, India will need to be at their best to clinch another series.