'We Wanted To Give Everything': Shreyas Iyer Hails India’s Bowlers After 3-1 ODI Series Win Over New Zealand

India beat New Zealand by 22 runs in the fifth ODI at Bay Oval on Sunday to clinch the five-match series 3-1. Captain Shreyas Iyer said it was a contest shaped by bowlers more than batters.

India defended 209 and bowled New Zealand out for 187 in 49 overs to close the tour on a high. “It was a series for bowlers, not for batters. Everyone stood up to the occasion,” Iyer said.

That summed up why the win mattered. India came into the decider after a crushing defeat in the fourth ODI, but adapted better in testing conditions and still found a way to defend a modest total in the final match.

Iyer On Leadership

Iyer called the job demanding.

He said leading India in ODIs had tested him through shifting passages in the series, especially when the tempo dipped and the side had to read the game better. “I enjoyed leading in ODI. Challenging, exhausting… there was a period where the game went slow. That's how you gauge the pace. Exciting. One win, one loss, 50-50!” he said.

The series, by his own telling, was not a smooth run of one-way cricket. It moved through slower phases and put a premium on judgment. India had to assess conditions and match pace rather than force the game.

Seamers Deliver Pressure

India bounced back hard.

They had been bowled out for 89 in the fourth ODI, yet recovered in the decider without overcomplicating the chase-defence equation at the break. “We wanted to give everything and there was no major discussion at the halfway mark,” Iyer said.

He also laid out the bowling plan that carried India through the last match. “I stuck with the plan of seamers and wickets kept coming. When bowlers bowled in partnerships, you bowl tight from one end and pick wicket from the other,” he said.

India’s seamers backed that call. They restricted New Zealand to 187 in 49 overs, with Arshdeep Singh taking three wickets for 30 runs. The bowling unit shut down the hosts through the middle overs before the chase slipped away.

South Africa Ahead

South Africa is next.

Iyer said India now move to a very different test, with weather and conditions likely to change the nature of the contest. “You never know what will happen in South Africa. Weather will be different. Batting didn't happen from both teams… wicket was for bowlers. Most important is to win series and we won,” he said.

He also made clear that India did not carry the fourth ODI loss into the decider. Matt Henry had ripped through the batting in that game, but Iyer said the team parked it quickly. “We forgot about the fourth ODI loss the next day. Matt Henry was bowling gas… he was lethal. We accepted and moved on,” he added.

That response shaped the finish to the series. India overcame difficult batting conditions and the setback of the previous match to complete the campaign with a 3-1 result.