IND vs NZ 2nd ODI: Rahul and Jadeja dig in after Kohli exit puts India under pressure

India faced early trouble in the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot on Wednesday. First, the hosts started with intent. Then, momentum slipped fast. Wickets fell in quick succession and shifted pressure back onto the batting unit.

New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and chose to bowl first. He backed the conditions and trusted his bowlers on a surface that looked good for batting. India also made a change. Nitish Kumar Reddy returned to the XI. New Zealand handed a debut to Jayden Lennox.

Initially, India looked settled. Openers showed calm at the crease. However, the stability did not last. Shreyas Iyer threw his wicket away with a mistimed shot to mid-off. Soon after, Virat Kohli’s dismissal stunned the crowd. He chopped the ball onto his stumps and walked back for 23. Suddenly, India lost control of the innings.

As a result, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja took charge of the rebuild. They slowed the tempo. They focused on strike rotation. They avoided risky shots. More importantly, they aimed to stop the slide and restore confidence in the middle overs.

This match carried added weight for India. The hosts entered the game with a 1–0 lead in the series. Earlier, they snapped New Zealand’s nine-match winning streak in the opening ODI. Rahul played a key role in that chase and guided India home in the 49th over. Still, the first game exposed flaws in India’s batting depth.

In the opening ODI, India relied heavily on top-order contributions. They lost wickets at crucial moments. As a result, the middle order struggled to control the innings. Even so, the bowlers delivered. They restricted New Zealand to 300, despite leaving out Arshdeep Singh.

Yet questions followed. Observers debated India’s batting approach after Kohli’s dismissal in the first match. Several batters looked short on ideas. Shot selection lacked clarity. Timing failed under pressure. Those concerns resurfaced again in Rajkot.

Kohli, however, remained central to the conversation. In Vadodara, he showed excellent form and missed a century by a narrow margin. Despite crossing 30, he continues to set standards with intensity and discipline. Therefore, his early exit in the second ODI created immediate tension.

Team selection also stayed under focus. India earlier benched Nitish Kumar Reddy, despite his growing value ahead of the World Cup. Washington Sundar got the nod in the first ODI but picked up an injury. Consequently, Reddy returned to the side in Rajkot. Ayush Badoni, meanwhile, still waits for his international debut.

New Zealand also carried lessons from the opening match. Their top order showed promise and gave strong starts. However, the middle order failed to finish the job. Kyle Jamieson stood out with the ball. Still, the pace unit lacked consistent support from the other end.

For the visitors, the second ODI offered a chance to level the series. They needed tighter bowling spells and better batting partnerships. For India, the focus stayed on composure. Rahul and Jadeja’s partnership became vital. Their patience now defines the direction of the innings and the match itself.