There is only so much a single batsman could do in a tall run chase of 338 runs as Virat Kohli did in his splendid knock of 124 runs off 108 balls that ended up in a losing cause in the IND vs NZ 3rd ODI.
About 14 months on from winning a historic maiden Test series in India, New Zealand sealed their first-ever ODI series victory over India in India with a 41-run triumph in Indore in the 3rd ODI, claiming the series 2-1 after losing the first ODI.
Kohli brought up his 54th century and 29th in run chases in ODI cricket. However, it became only the fifth time that his hundred in a run chase ended up in a losing cause.
While Kohli creamed 124 runs with the help of 10 fours and three sixes, none of the other top-order batsmen got going as India slipped to 71/4, which later became 159/5 when Nitish Kumar Reddy was dismissed for 53 and then 178/6 at Jadeja’s dismissal.
Kohli found an unexpected ally in Harshit Rana, who has certainly cemented his place at the No. 8 position, as he blasted 52 runs off 43 balls, forging an entertaining stand of 99(69) with India’s No. 3.
The equation was chiselled down to 61 required off 39 balls when Rana attempted one too many sixes and holed out in the deep. A couple of overs later, Kohli’s energy finally gave in to the mounting asking rate as he was caught by Daryl Mitchell, the man of the moment, who later bagged the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.
Earlier, India started superbly with the ball as comeback man Arshdeep Singh dismissed Henry Nicholls in the first over, and Rana got rid of Devon Conway. Will Young was gone in the 13th over as India asserted control.
The match, though, changed gradually through a huge partnership between Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Phillips started off uncharacteristically, taking his time and assessing his options. Once set, both batters teed off.
With boundaries now flowing in from both ends, India’s plans came unstuck as both the batters notched up their respective centuries in a partnership that was worth 219 runs off 186 balls. Though India picked wickets in a cluster from thereon, the Kiwi batsmen swung their willows and connected boundaries every now and then to end up with a total of 337, which proved 41 runs too much for India.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had overseen India’s 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand in October-November 2024, has once again come under the firing line of the fans as India lose a rare home ODI series. Since 2016, India had lost a home ODI series only to Australia, and now the Kiwis also have the bragging rights on Indian soil.
Let’s see some reactions from fans on Twitter to India’s loss in Indore, which meant conceding the series.
IND vs NZ: Twitterati React To India’s ODI Series Loss To New Zealand Despite Virat Kohli’s Century
When and where is India vs New Zealand 1st T20I?
The five-match IND vs NZ T20I series will begin with the 1st T20I on Wednesday, January 21, in Nagpur.
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