WATCH: Kuldeep Yadav strikes twice to get rid of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson

India’s spin bowlers came to the fore as they got their side back into the game against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 20205. Kuldeep Yadav, who was being called out for his poor bowling, was India’s savior with the ball. The 30-year-old got the wickets of Rachin Ravindra and former Kiwi captain Kane Williamson in a space of eight balls. 

Rohit Sharma brought Kuldeep into bowl at the end of ten overs. On the very first ball of his spell, the left-arm wrist spinner deceived Rachin Ravindra with the Googly. The batter went back and was beaten for pace as the batter heard the death rattle. Ravindra was out after scoring 37 runs from 29 balls with four boundaries and a six. 

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In the next over, Kuldeep got the big fish when Kane Williamson tried to push the ball down the ground. Williamson got a leading edge off his bat as Yadav completed a simple catch. It was a huge moment in the game as the Indian bowlers had gotten rid of two key batters who had scored centuries in the previous match against South Africa. 

Shoddy fielding gives New Zealand a good start with the bat 

Ravindra, who had become the quickest batter to reach five tons in ICC tournaments, was dropped twice in two overs. Mohammed Shami dropped an easy return catch in the seventh over. Shreyas Iyer then made a meal of the second chance in Varun Chakravarthy’s second over. This was the ninth catch dropped by India in the tournament, which is the most for any side. 

Will Young was the first man out when he was trapped LBW by Chakravarthy for 15 runs. The batter was hit plumb on his pad and didn’t even bother to review the call as he made his way back to the hut. Kane Williamson batted 14 balls to score his 11 runs, which also included a boundary. 

New Zealand have two specialist spinners in skipper Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell. The likes of Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips can also turn their arm over as seen in the last match. Both players had combined well to bowl a total of eight overs and pick three key wickets.