"If nothing works well, have a go at the bowlers" - Former India spinner defends bowling unit after New Zealand chase 192 in NZ vs IND 2026 5th T20I

Former India spinner Murali Kartik argued that bowlers are simply the easiest part of a team to blame after the Men in Blue conceded 195 runs in 18 overs against New Zealand in the fifth T20I at Seddon Park in Hamilton to conclude the series. Opener Tim Seifert smashed 93 off 50 balls while Glenn Phillips finished unbeaten on 65 off 38 as the Indian bowling unit struggled while bowling second for the first time in the series.

After India posted a target of 192, courtesy of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan's fifties, the bowlers failed to back it up as five out of the six used bowling options had an economy of over 10. Pace bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was the most economical of the lot, conceding 19 runs off his two overs.

Murali Kartik, however, believes that it is unfair to pin the blame solely on the bowlers in this case. It is also to be noted that India dropped multiple catches in the innings, including one off Tim Seifert in the early stages of the run chase.

"That's the easiest pace to pick, right? Bowlers. If nothing works well, have a go at the bowlers. How many runs did we get? It is just a soft target, man. At the end of the day, India have never had the ideal bowling combination. Sometimes it is overload; sometimes it is injuries. In a format like this, that is the easiest place to pick holes, because if a batter does not score runs, it is fine, but if a bowler goes for runs, we start dissecting him even more. India have conceded over 200, a total of 11 times in 40 games this year, in this current scenario, I'll take that," Murali Kartik said on Cricbuzz.

“Catching has been a big issue. Now the scoreline reads 3-2, but the catching has been a massive issue over the last year and a bit. Whether it is travelling somewhere or at home, it has been a big problem. You want consistency in terms of selection, and in terms of bowling combination. If you don't have your best bowlers at all times due to various reasons, it is not easy for the captain either," he continued.

Conceding high scores has been a pattern for India through the year in T20Is. West Indies went past 200 three times in the home series that preceded this tour, and New Zealand crossed it twice in five matches, including 259 in the fourth T20I.

“If you have too many all-rounders, you tend to face these problems” - Ambati Rayudu on India's bowling plans without Jasprit Bumrah after NZ vs IND 2026 T20Is

Ambati Rayudu, on the same panel, believes India's bowling unit is sorely missing Jasprit Bumrah and the current combination based on all-rounders is unable to make up for it. Jasprit Bumrah was rested for the T20I and ODI leg of the tour, and is in India's Test squad. The premier pacer has only featured in the series against Afghanistan and the Asian Games 2026 in terms of T20Is since the end of the World Cup in March.

“Jasprit Bumrah is a luxury, he has been our match-winner. Replacing Bumrah is never going to happen, but to get someone to do the job, you need 2 bowlers instead of one. For that, you need to compromise on batting and have proper bowlers. If you have too many all-rounders, you tend to face these problems. Just because it is a flat wicket does not mean any bowler will get hit. A proper bowler will definitely create the wicket-taking chances and will create a lot more pressure. I would not be too harsh on the bowlers," he said.

India's focus shifts to the five-match ODI series, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 4 at Eden Park in Auckland.

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