He has been a thorn in India’s flesh for a while now, he once again underlined his value with the bat. Back-to-back centuries in the second ODI and the series decider helped New Zealand push the hosts into submission and seal a historic series victory — their first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil.

Addressing the media, New Zealand’s Mr. Consistent Daryl Mitchell spoke about the significance of the triumph and also the joy of playing in the country.

“This is very, very significant for us,” Mitchell said. “A number of New Zealand teams have come here in the past in ODI cricket, and every time we tour India we learn and grow as a team. We’re really grateful for those experiences. But to come here with this group and achieve what we have achieved is something the guys are very proud of. Some players will be heading home with big smiles on their faces.

“We love touring India. Personally, it’s an amazing place to play cricket. You look at the crowd tonight — it’s incredible. We’re used to smaller crowds back home, grass banks and all that, and then you come here and experience the noise and passion. It’s truly special,” he added.

Mitchell also reflected on how his time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped him adapt to subcontinent conditions.

“Yeah, look, I’m very grateful for the time I spent at Chennai — obviously I was there for a season — and also at Rajasthan for a season as well. Hopefully, a few times in the future I might be back here again. India is a great place to tour. I love coming to this part of the world, and playing in front of crowds like this is very special. It’s pretty cool.”

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar says India’s failure to make good starts cost them the ODI series against New Zealand and the team’s batters should take a leaf out of Virat Kohli’s book to understand how an innings should be paced while chasing difficult targets.

India went down in the third and final ODI in Indore by 41 runs to lose their first ever 50-over home series against New Zealand, continuing the trend of recent underwhelming results. Kohli top-scored with a 108-ball 124 but could not get a stable partner to steer the challenging chase of 338.

“Unless Virat Kohli got substantial support, it was always going to be difficult, and he got very little of it. The real problem for India throughout the series has been the starts. As they say, well begun is half done,”Gavaskar said on ‘Amul Cricket Live’ on JioStar.

“India never began well, and that’s one of the main reasons they weren’t able to chase these big scores,” he pointed out.

India had lost half the side at 159, which severely dented their chances.

“…when you lose someone in good form like KL Rahul, and you have Nitish Kumar Reddy, who hadn’t really done justice to his ability until this innings of 53 runs and then Harshit Rana, someone you are never quite sure what you are going to get, it becomes an uphill climb. That’s exactly what India found,” Gavaskar explained.

The legendary former batter lauded Kohli for trying till the end and urged the others to emulate his mindset and consistency.

“The thing about him is that he’s not tied down to an image. A lot of batters and bowlers are constrained by how they’re perceived, and they feel they must live up to that image. Virat isn’t like that,” he said.

“He’s tied to the job at hand, and that job is to score runs. Sometimes, that means starting watchfully and then opening up. Sometimes, it means attacking early and then spreading the field and picking up ones and twos. He’s not governed by expectations of how he should play,” he added.

“That temperament is the key. He doesn’t think, ‘I’m expected to hit a six.’ He plays according to the situation. He never gives up. Even till the end, he was trying. For youngsters, that’s the biggest lesson, don’t live up to an image. Play the situation, and you’ll be far more consistent than you ever imagined.” On Harshit Rana’s lower-order half century that raised hopes of an unlikely win, Gavaskar said he was impressed by his ability to stay in the moment and not let past failures affect him mentally.

“It was a very good innings by Harshit Rana. He batted exactly like a lower-order batter should, without worry and without expectations…What impressed me was that Harshit didn’t get hassled by earlier failures, especially with someone like Virat Kohli at the other end,” he said.

Different ground, different surface, different conditions — historic outcome. Daryl Mitchell once again proved to be India’s chief tormentor, hammering his second consecutive century (137, 131b, 15×4, 3×6), while Glenn Phillips complemented him with a scintillating hundred (106, 88b, 9×4, 3×6).

Their belligerent 219-run fourth-wicket partnership proved decisive as New Zealand scripted its first-ever ODI series victory in India as the hosts fell short by 41 runs in the decider at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday (January 18, 2026).

Chasing 338, India suffered early blows, losing Rohit Sharma in the fourth over to Zak Foulkes and captain Shubman Gill to Kyle Jamieson in the seventh. Shreyas Iyer’s stay was brief, falling to Kristian Clarke, while left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox sent back K.L. Rahul, leaving India in trouble at 71 for four in the 13th over.

Virat Kohli (124, 108b, 10×4, 3×6) then took charge. He stitched an 88-run fifth-wicket partnership along with Nitish Kumar (53, 57b, 2×4, 2×6).

Nitish was eventually dismissed by Clarke and Lennox accounted for Ravindra Jadeja as India slipped to 178 for six, leaving Kohli a mountain to climb. Kohli and Harshit Rana (52, 43b, 4×4, 4×6) threatened to pull off a heist. The two added 99 runs off just 69 balls before Foulkes accounted for the latter. Kohli’s special knock was ended by Clarke and with it went India’s hopes.

Earlier, after Gill opted to bowl, Arshdeep Singh struck off the fourth ball dismissing Henry Nicholls for a duck.

Harshit removed Devon Conway — for the third time in the series — in the next over as New Zealand slipped to five for two. Mitchell and Will Young then rebuilt with composure, soaking up the early pressure. Young attacked with fluent drives and a pull over deep backward point off Harshit before falling to him, ending a 53-run third-wicket stand.

Mitchell found an able ally in Phillips. The pair gradually lifted the tempo, running hard between the wickets and keeping the scoreboard ticking.

Mitchell signalled intent by launching Kuldeep Yadav straight down the ground for a six off his first ball.

Momentum decisively swung in the 40th over as Jadeja was taken for 13 as Phillips cleared long-on and Mitchell punished a short delivery. Kuldeep, too, bore the brunt, conceding 19 in the following overas Mitchell muscled a full ball over through the leg side and Phillips followed with a pull and a towering maximum over long-off.

Phillips brought up his second ODI century with a sublime off-side drive. Arshdeep ended the mammoth partnership by dismissing Phillips, while Mohammed Siraj removed Mitchell. However, skipper Michael Bracewell’s 18-ball 28 ensured the visitors posted an imposing total.