The 212-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, along with Shardul Thakur’s all-around performance, helped India cleanly sweep the three-match ODI series against New Zealand and take the top spot in the Men’s ODI rankings in what turned out to be a run-fest at the Holkar Cricket Stadium. In their quest of a ridiculous objective of 386, the visitors managed 295.
Finn Allen punished for lingering in the crease by chopping Hardik Pandya’s short of a length ball against the stumps, depriving New Zealand of the rapid start they needed. However, a 106-run second wicket partnership between Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway (100 balls, 138) launched a counterattack. They applied pressure again by utilising their feet and the scoop-pull-slog-sweep technique.
Kuldeep Yadav used the skidder to quickly trap Nicholls in front of him. Conway continued to bat freely despite losing his partner, using the slog-sweep, reverse sweep, and the occasional chip down the track to take on Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. New Zealand had 184 for 2 after 25 overs and was still very much in the game. Thakur, though, bowled a game-changing session to put India in the lead. Daryl Mitchell and the risky Glenn Phillips were both removed by Thakur using the cross-seam short ball. He also tried a knuckle ball dismissal of Tom Latham. 32 overs later,
The loss of Conway, their century, chipping Umran Malik to Rohit at midwicket provided a crushing blow to New Zealand. Although they made valuable contributions, Mitchell Santner (26) and Michael Bracewell (26) were unable to duplicate their first ODI heroics as the visitors were finally dismissed in the 42nd over.
Gill and Rohit had earlier put up a fantastic performance on a short field and in favourable batting conditions. India got off to a fast start thanks to sixes from Gill and Rohit in just the fifth over of the innings (both on the hook and loft). Gill continued to cut, drive, and guide Lockie Ferguson in the ninth over as 22 runs were added. Gill and Rohit competed stroke for stroke as they pulled and lofted Jacob Duffy.
India took just 13 overs to score 100. Ultimately, Rohit reached his century in the 26th over. Gill also arrived at the landmark in the same over. At that point, it seemed as though India may even reach their goal of 450, but New Zealand did well to slow down the scoring rate of the hosts by consistently making inroads. Blair Tickner fired Gill as Michael Bracewell castled Rohit as he attempted to slog across the finish line.
Before losing to Duffy, Virat Kohli did make an appearance (27-ball 36). By that point, the pitch had also slowed down a little as a result of New Zealand’s into-the-surface bowling and speed changes, which led to the dismissals of Suryakumar Yadav and Washington Sundar. Then Shardul and Hardik Pandya put together a time-sensitive of 54 in just over five overs to ensure New Zealand would have to chase down a daunting target.
