New Zealand made history by claiming their maiden ODI series victory in India, coming back after a 1–0 deficit to beat the hosts 2–1. It was an accomplishment made all the more remarkable by a weakened side and it rounded off a memorable tour following their Test series win in India the previous year.
Opting to bat at the high-scoring Holkar Stadium in Indore, New Zealand posted an imposing 337 for 8, built around a match-defining 219-run fourth-wicket partnership between Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106). Mitchell dominated India again, reaching his fourth ODI century against them and also on Indian soil. Phillips started slowly, accelerated, waiting until late in his innings to bring up a 100 from 88 balls.
India’s bowlers were somewhat blunted in the middle overs, especially spinners. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja were engaged with confidence, proved expensive to bowl to, and New Zealand’s batsmen continually disturbed their lengths and rhythm. Even then, with Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana accounting for three wickets apiece, and Mohammed Siraj being particularly economical, New Zealand had breached 330.
India were rattled in pursuit of 338 and tumbled to 71 for 4, without the services of their key all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel. And once again, Virat Kohli strode above the wreckage with a magnificent 124, his 54th ODI hundred, holding the innings together and keeping hope alive. He found decent support from youngsters Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Harshit Rana (52), who notched up their maiden ODI fifties.
Kohli’s innings followed several phases: a stormy start, a long and arduous rebuilding job in the face of falling wickets, and an add-on, counterattack tail as the asking rate spiked. But with Rana’s wicket gone and the pressure piling on, Virat Kohli departed, having India still 41 short and at 296, closing out the chase.
New Zealand bowled collectively and with discipline. Kyle Jamieson made early inroads, Jayden Lennox was effective with control and variation on a difficult ground for spinners, while Zak Foulkes and Kristian Clarke all claimed three wickets each. Their spinners were again better than India’s and it was all too familiar in this series.
Key Takeaways
- New Zealand won their first ODI series in India
- Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips dominated India’s spinners
- Virat Kohli’s century went in vain despite a valiant chase
- India’s middle-order and spin bowling remain concerns
- New Zealand’s adaptability and depth proved decisive
