By Soumya Ranjan India lost the 3rd ODI against New Zealand at Indore by 41 runs, and with it conceded a historic ODI series at home. The match was a high‑scoring thriller highlighted by three outstanding centuries but ultimately defined by New Zealand’s superior all‑round discipline.
Match context
The 3rd ODI at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, was the series decider, with New Zealand eyeing a first‑ever bilateral ODI series win in India. India, traditionally dominant at home and unbeaten in ODIs at Indore before this game, were under pressure to protect both venue record and series pride.
New Zealand’s powerful batting
New Zealand posted 337 for 8 in their 50 overs, a total built almost entirely on a remarkable 215‑run partnership between Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips. Mitchell top‑scored with 137 and Phillips added 106, the pair rescuing the visitors from early trouble and taking apart India’s middle‑overs attack with calculated aggression. India began well with the ball as Arshdeep Singh struck in his first over to remove Henry Nicholls, signalling initial seam movement and control with the new ball. However, once Mitchell and Phillips settled, they targeted both pace and spin, rotating strike effectively and punishing anything fractionally short or overpitched, especially square of the wicket.
India’s bowlers and fielding
Despite the eventual total, there were notable bowling efforts from India, with left‑arm pacer Arshdeep Singh taking 3 for 63 and Harshit Rana also picking up three wickets for 84. Their wickets in the latter half of the innings prevented New Zealand from pushing beyond 350, a figure that looked very possible when Mitchell and Phillips were set.
India’s fielding, though generally sharp, could not consistently build pressure during the Mitchell‑Phillips stand, as gaps in the deep and occasional misfields allowed New Zealand to keep the run rate healthy without undue risk. In the final overs, India executed a few good death‑overs plans, forcing mishits and finding edges, but by then New Zealand already had a winning total on a batting‑friendly surface.
India’s chase and Kohli’s masterclass
Chasing 338, India started briskly but lost both openers relatively early, with Shubman Gill bowled by Kyle Jamieson for 23 as the ball nipped back to hit pad and then off stump. These early strikes meant Virat Kohli had to rebuild the innings while keeping the asking rate within reach, a task he accepted with typical composure.
Kohli produced a magnificent 124 off 108 balls, an innings many will remember as one of his finest in a losing cause. He shifted gears repeatedly, first stabilizing after early wickets, then accelerating with crisp drives, flicks, and pulls, especially once he crossed his hundred and began to attack the New Zealand seamers with calculated risk.
Middle‑order support and dramatic finishThere were importan
There were important contributions around Kohli, notably a composed 53 from Sai Reddy and an aggressive 52 from Harshit Rana that briefly swung momentum India’s way. A massive 21‑run over off Kyle Jamieson, in which both Kohli and Rana cleared the ropes, suddenly brought the required rate within striking distance and re‑energized the Indore crowd.
However, regular wickets at the other end kept pulling India back, exemplified by Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal for 12 while trying to hit over deep mid‑wicket against Jayden Lennox. Once the lower order was exposed, New Zealand tightened their lines and lengths, using variations and smart fields to force mistakes.
Kohli’s dismissal for 124, mistiming a big shot to long‑off, effectively ended India’s realistic hopes, leaving the tail too much to do with the asking rate soaring. India were eventually bowled out for 296 in the 46th over, with New Zealand’s Kristian Clarke leading the attack with figures of 3 for 54 and the final wicket falling to a sharp run‑out.
Historic significance
The 41‑run victory gave New Zealand their first‑ever ODI series win in India, a landmark moment after decades of trying since 1988. It also handed India their first ODI defeat at Indore after seven consecutive wins, underlining how comprehensively the visitors had outplayed them across the series.