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Following India’s 41-run defeat in the series decider at Holkar Stadium, captain Shubman Gill expressed clear dissatisfaction with his team’s performance. Despite a valiant 124 from Virat Kohli and half-centuries from Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana, India’s chase of 338 was undermined by a steady fall of wickets. The visitors effectively ended the contest once Kohli was dismissed, securing a 2-1 series win and marking New Zealand's first-ever ODI series victory on Indian soil.
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Gill, who had been in fine form with fifties in the opening two matches, struggled in the finale and was dismissed for 23 by Kyle Jamieson. Reflecting on the loss, the young captain noted it was particularly disappointing to see the team fall short of its potential during such a critical, high-stakes game. However, he remained optimistic about certain individual performances, citing Kohli’s exceptional form and Harshit Rana’s contributions with the bat as significant silver linings for the squad.
A lot of areas need some improvement: Shubman Gill
The loss marks a challenging start to Gill’s tenure as the ODI leader, as this is his second series defeat following a previous setback in Australia. At just 26 years old, the opening batter is experiencing a "trial by fire" in the captaincy role, facing high-pressure scenarios and historic results early in his leadership journey.
“After the first match, coming here 1-1, the way we played was disappointing. A lot of areas need some improvement. There are areas where we need to look back and reflect and do things better,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.
“The way Virat bhai is batting, that is definitely a plus always. The way Harshit has batted in this series, batting at No.8 is not easy, but the way he stepped up and the way our fast bowlers have bowled in this series was very good,” he further stated.
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Gill emphasised that the team management is intentionally grooming Nitish Reddy for the role of a fast-bowling all-rounder. This strategic move is being made with a long-term view toward the 2027 ICC World Cup, which will be hosted in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe—regions where pace-bowling all-rounders are often essential due to the favorable conditions.
Reddy showed glimpses of that potential in the series decider against New Zealand, where he recorded his first international half-century. In addition to his contributions with the bat, he played a significant role in the bowling attack, delivering eight overs and conceding 53 runs at an economy rate just above six.
“Keeping the World Cup in mind and where it is going to be, we want to give Nitish Kumar Reddy opportunities, and we want to give him enough overs when he is out there. We want to see which combinations work for us,” Gill concluded.
Following the conclusion of the ODI matches, India will continue their home season against New Zealand with a five-match T20I series. This series serves as a vital final dress rehearsal for the squad as they fine-tune their strategies for the fast-approaching T20 World Cup.
The schedule for the T20Is is set to begin in Nagpur on January 21, with the teams traveling across the country before the series finale in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31. This quick succession of matches leads directly into India’s highly anticipated World Cup opener, where they are slated to face the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on February 7.
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