India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI: KL Rahul misses the easy run out of Henry Nicholls – Twitter reactions

KL Rahul in just his fifth ODI as a wicketkeeper put on the ‘Pant’ mask and missed the easiest of opportunities to increase the dismissal to seven as the Indian wicketkeeper. All of this happened when Rahul could not collect Manish Pandey’s throw to affect the run-out to dismiss Henry Nicholls.

New Zealand openers were up and running in the chase after India only managed to put on 296 runs on board in the first innings. Martin Guptill, in particular, took on the attacking role and tonked Jasprit Bumrah and the other Indian bowlers all over the Bay Oval. India looked clueless against the two as they managed to weather the early storm posted by the Indian bowlers with the swinging delivery. However, once the ball got old, the batting got better, the openers godlike, hitting some of the best shots in the series. 

As Guptill struck Bumrah over the leg-side, Nicholls drove Shardul Thakur in the off-side for a brilliant boundary. The game, however, decided to present India with an opportunity when Guptill tapped the ball on the off-side and took off. For once, the running duo synced, despite the run being highly risky with an on-rushing Manish Pandey. Pandey’s pick up was excellent and the throw even better, hitting the ball straight into the gloves of Rahul. For Rahul, it was the easiest of run-outs to make inroads in the New Zealand batting order. Stop, freeze the time, as this is when Rahul struggled as a wicketkeeper. 

One of the rarest moments in the series, when Rahul has failed at anything in the series as he struck the stumps before collecting the ball. It gave the left-handed Nicholls another life in the game, with New Zealand already on the up chasing India’s 296.

This is what happened!