India Vs New Zealand, 1st ODI: Kohli’s 93 Guides Hosts To Four-Wicket Win

Virat Kohli produced a superb innings to anchor India’s chase as the hosts defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the first ODI on Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 301 at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, India reached 306/6 in 49 overs, with Kohli narrowly missing out on a century after scoring 93 off 91 balls.

Follow the India vs New Zealand, 1st ODI highlights

New Zealand Recover After Strong Start

Asked to bat first, New Zealand posted 300/8 in 50 overs, riding on a solid opening stand and a terrific knock from Daryl Mitchell, who top-scored with 84 off 71 balls.

Openers Devon Conway (56) and Henry Nicholls (62) laid the platform with a 117-run partnership. After starting slowly, the pair accelerated once set, bringing up 100 in 119 deliveries. Nicholls survived an early dropped catch before both openers reached their half-centuries off 60 balls.

India struck back through Harshit Rana, who broke the stand by having Nicholls caught behind chasing a wide delivery. Conway followed two overs later, bowled by Rana, before Mohammed Siraj removed Will Young (12) to leave New Zealand at 146/3.

Mitchell then held the innings together, striking five fours and three sixes, while the middle order struggled for momentum. None of the lower-middle-order batters crossed 20 until debutant Kristian Clarke chipped in with a brisk 24 off 17 balls, helping the visitors cross the 300-run mark.

Kohli, Gill Lay Foundation For Chase

India’s reply began with Rohit Sharma scoring 26 off 29 balls, including three fours and two sixes, before mistiming a pull off Kyle Jamieson in the ninth over. Rohit added 39 runs with skipper Shubman Gill, who initially struggled for fluency.

Kohli then took charge, reaching his half-century in just 44 balls, while Gill grew in confidence at the other end. The pair stitched together a 118-run partnership for the second wicket, with Gill bringing up 50 off 66 balls.

The stand ended against the run of play when wrist-spinner Adithya Ashok, born in Vellore, had Gill caught in the 27th over. Kohli, however, remained unfazed and combined with Shreyas Iyer (49 off 47 balls) to add 77 runs for the third wicket.

Rahul Holds Nerve To Seal Chase

India’s chase hit turbulence late as Jamieson (4/41) struck three times in quick succession. Kohli was caught at mid-off for 93, falling just seven runs short of a century. Soon after, Ravindra Jadeja hit straight to mid-on, and Jamieson then bowled Iyer to reduce India to 242/5.

With the chase tightening, Lokesh Rahul kept his composure, scoring 29 not out off 21 balls, including two fours and a six. He received support from Harshit Rana, who made a crucial 29 off 23 balls, benefitting from a dropped catch during their 37-run stand.

Despite Rana’s dismissal, Rahul guided India home with six balls to spare, as New Zealand faltered in the field during the closing overs.

The second ODI of the series will be played in Rajkot on Wednesday.

India Vs New Zealand, 1st ODI: Toss Update

India skipper Shubman Gill wins the toss, opts to bowl against New Zealand in Vadodara.

India Vs New Zealand, 1st ODI: Playing XIs

New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok.

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

India Vs New Zealand, 1st ODI: Squads

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja.

New Zealand: Devon Conway (wk), Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Michael Rae, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Hay, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox.

(With AP Inputs)