KL Rahul managed just a single in his first innings after almost three months.

The skipper’s failure with the bat, though, mattered little for India. As was the case in the opening ODI, India won the second and penultimate ODI too with consummate ease, beating Zimbabwe by five wickets with as many as 146 balls to spare in Harare on Saturday and also sealed the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead.

The series win, particularly against a Zimbabwean side that rarely locks horns with top-tier teams, was very much expected. But the mini-collapse in pursuit of just 162, after the bowlers delivered once again to bundle Zimbabwe out for 161 in 38.1 overs, is one aspect that the Indian team management needs to look into.

Brushing it aside by saying stuff like “it’s a part of the game” may not be the ideal approach, especially as the Zimbabwean bowling is as mediocre as their batting. Slipping to 97 for 4 from 47 for 1 against such a bowling attack doesn’t really bode well for a side reckoned as one of the top teams in world cricket.

Shikhar Dhawan (33) and Shubman Gill (33), who batted at No.3 on the day to make way for Rahul at the top, would have done themselves a favour had they converted their solid starts into a half-century at least.

Courtesy Man of the Match Sanju Samson (43 not out), who showed good temperament right through his stay and during his crucial 53- run stand with Deepak Hooda for the fifth wicket, India could reach home without any further damage. Captain Rahul, though, didn’t wish to read much into the mini-collapse.

“It was a good challenge for us as batters. But we bat deep, so it wasn’t a worry,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation.

“It’s good for some of the guys to get time in the middle. We weren’t nervous even after losing those wickets quickly because we bat deep.”

About his disappointing time out in the middle, Rahul said: “I wanted to get some runs, but it didn’t happen. Hopefully, I’ll get some in the next game (on Monday).”

Talking about the bowlers, Shardul Thakur, who came in for Deepak Chahar, finished with the best figures (3/38).

But the initial spells from Mohammed Siraj (1/16) and Prasidh Krishna (1/28) were the ones that created doubts in the minds of Zimbabwe’s openers, who looked clueless facing the duo in helpful conditions for quicks.