Ahead of the first ODI, Rishabh Pant suffered a blow while batting against throw-downs and was ruled out, prompting the selection of Dhruv Jurel as a specialist batting option. Meanwhile, all-rounder Tilak Varma will miss at least the first three T20Is against New Zealand due to a groin injury. With the T20 World Cup less than a month away, the management is cautious about further injuries.
Kohli and Rohit Sharma continue to anchor India’s innings, blending experience with attacking flair. Kohli narrowly missed his 54th ODI century, scoring 93 off 91 balls to steer India’s 301-run chase, supported by Shubman Gill’s measured half-century and Shreyas Iyer’s near-fifty. Kohli’s confidence and freedom from pressure have been evident, helping him become the fastest to 28,000 runs across formats.
New Zealand showed fight, highlighted by Daryl Mitchell’s 84 and a 117-run opening stand between Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls, but late dropped catches and middle-order lapses cost them the match. India will aim to consolidate their performance in Rajkot, with improved support from spinners, while relying on Kohli and Rohit to lead the charge.
