Team India’s loss against New Zealand, their second consecutive in the T20 World Cup 2021, has put a number of issues in the spotlight. The defeat keeps the men in blue on the fifth rung of the the Group 2 points table with zero points and a net run rate of -1.609.

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Kohli and company, batting first, could manage to put up an under-par 111-run target, which the Kiwis chased with more than five overs and eight wickets remaining. 

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1) India’s semifinals hopes hanging by a thread:

Team India’s hopes to qualify for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2021 depend largely on other teams’ results and their net run rate. With defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand, the 2007 champions now need to win their remaining games with a thumping margin and hope than the Kiwis los two of their remaining three fixtures. While the former feat is still achievable, it is unlikely that Kane Williamson’s men lose games against Scotland, Namibia and/or Afghanistan. Hence, while India have not been written off, their semifinals hopes hang by a thread. 

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2) High-promising Indian batting delivers little:

India brought in the likes of Ishan Kishan and Shardul Thakur for the high-octane clash against New Zealand on Sunday. Both the players have proven their mettle with the bat and the changes were seen as a boost for the Indian batting lineup. KL Rahul and Kishan opened for the team, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant coming next. Even with some of the best batsmen, arguably the best three making the top-order, the men in blue could manage only 110 runs in the first innings. The opening experiment failed. Kishan was dismissed for just 4, Rahul managed to score 17 runs, Sharma – demoted down the order – struggled during his14-run stay and Kohli scored nine. 

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3) Spinners get the better of Kohli and co

Having done majority of their playing on Asian pitches, Indian batsmen are considered masters of tackling spin bowling. However against New Zealand, it were the spinners that stifled the men in blue. The Kiwi pacers took the majority of the wickets but it were the eight overs by Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner that really hurt India. The two gave away 32 runs in 48 balls accounting for two wickets (combined).