Kuldeep Yadav went for 73 runs in his 8 overs.
The last time Kuldeep featured in an ODI for India was in the match against West Indies on October 3. Kuldeep had been chosen in the white-ball squads for the present tour but hadn’t featured until Shreyas Iyer opted for him over Anshul Kamboj, who was in the Test team.
"In terms of run-up and release, I felt there was more he could have done. But playing an international game is so much harder than just working on your skills in practice. It's not easy to get out of not being part of the 11 and immediately perform to a high level. He didn't have his best day, but I wouldn't dig too deep into today's performance,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“I feel bad for Kuldeep. He has been part of the team for some time now. On a tour like this, when you've not played, and suddenly play an ODI game, it could be hard work. I don't think he bowled very poorly. A couple of small moments went against him. He probably needed a wicket very early in his spell to feel good about himself, which he didn't manage today. He tried his best, but the opportunities weren't created as much,” he added.
Kuldeep's first six overs cost 63, with Finn Allen taking him for 4, 4, and 6 in one over; his last two went for only 10.
Ex-India spinner Murali Kartik was blunt in saying that Kuldeep failed to deliver the level of bowling that he is used to. He said that the problem was a bowler who had been used to sporadic participation in the game.
"Today, I didn't see the Kuldeep Yadav that I normally get to see. He was bowling quicker, and there were too many back-of-the-length deliveries. That's not the Kuldeep you want to see, and that stems from the fact that he's not getting to play regularly. He's trying too many things in his own head and wants to get wickets quickly. That way, he can stay in the spell, and the captain doesn't take the ball away from him," said Kartik.
"The output is often dependent on how you are internally. Kuldeep, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy, was the only one picked across all three teams for this tour. But he hardly gets a game, and they talk about his lack of batting and whatever other reasons. He's not playing regularly. But he has outstanding numbers in all three formats for a guy who doesn't play on a regular basis. Because of this, each time he plays, he's putting pressure on himself, as he knows he could be dropped if he fails,” he added.
New Zealand posted 333 runs thanks to a century by Will Young, and then Matt Henry broke India’s back with 6/27, bowling them out for 89 runs. New Zealand won the game by 244 runs, handing India their second-biggest loss in ODIs.
(Cricbuzz inputs)