Ashwin Lauds New Zealand’s Tactical Brilliance Against India

Former India all-rounder R Ashwin praised New Zealand’s fighting spirit and said he would love to be a fly on the wall during the Kiwis’ match-planning sessions. Despite having only a quarter of India’s experience across departments, a second-string BlackCaps side pushed the hosts to the brink in the first ODI in Vadodara last Sunday. Batting first, New Zealand posted 300 runs and came close to preventing India from reaching the target before KL Rahul’s unbeaten cameo guided the team home in the 49th over.

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Ashwin Admits New Zealand Outplayed India, Credits Discipline and Smart Execution

In 2024, New Zealand dominated India at home, handing them a historic 0–3 whitewash that signalled the beginning of the Test team’s transition. Speaking on his YouTube channel, R Ashwin underlined the Kiwis’ strong analytical mindset, noting that while many top teams lack an analytics-driven approach, New Zealand consistently rely on detailed planning. He said he would gladly sit in on their strategy sessions—even if it meant paying for the opportunity—to understand how they plan and execute their game plans so effectively.

R Ashwin credited New Zealand for their fighting spirit, saying the visitors stayed in the contest until the very end because of their discipline and sharp execution of plans. He pointed out that while the Kiwis may not match other teams man for man in terms of individual strength, their strong fielding, discipline, and clear strategies allow them to compete effectively against top sides.

The former India spinner also admitted that New Zealand outplayed India for most of the first ODI. He said India did not play their best cricket but found crucial contributions from Harshit Rana, who impressed with both bat and ball, and Virat kohli, whose fluent 93 helped set up the successful chase. R Ashwin highlighted Virat Kohli as one of the major positives from the game, praising his exceptional batting, movement, and footwork. He recalled a particular shot against Kristian Clarke where Kohli exposed all three stumps, yet calmly adjusted to the bowler following him and clipped the ball away for a boundary with a delicate flick.

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