Indore, Jan 19: After India’s shocking 1-2 ODI series defeat at home against New Zealand, captain Shubman Gill candidly admitted that the team fell short in all departments. He highlighted that batters failed to convert starts and that fielding standards were below par, contributing to the first home series loss against the Kiwis.
New Zealand secured their first-ever ODI series win in India with a 41-run victory in the third ODI in Indore. India had initially been reeling at 71/4 within 13 overs after early dismissals of Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, but Virat Kohli’s 54th ODI century helped the team recover, though it was not enough to chase down the target. Centuries from Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips powered New Zealand to series glory.
“All of us, all the batsmen, have not been able to convert starts. In high-scoring matches in India, if the top order fails to convert, we can’t post big totals,” Gill said. “I honestly felt our fielding in this series was not up to the mark. We dropped crucial catches, and New Zealand’s better fielding saved at least 15-20 runs per game, which made a big difference.”
Reflecting on the bowling performance, Gill noted Kuldeep Yadav’s struggles, saying, “Kuldeep has always been a strike bowler for us, but he wasn’t able to take as many wickets this time. These series help us learn and grow.”
India and New Zealand will next face off in a five match T20I series starting Wednesday, their final tune-up before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7.