The New Zealand men’s national cricket team visited India in 2023 for a three-match ODI series

India’s men’s cricket team is set to begin their 2026 cricket season against New Zealand on home turf with a three-match ODI series followed by a five-match T20I series. The Men in Blue are eager to get the year going with a victory on their side, but in recent months, not all has gone well for the men’s side in the ODI setting.

Will India begin with a series victory? Currently, it is impossible to determine the outcome of the series. However, we can certainly go back in time and take a peek at how New Zealand’s series against India on Indian soil unfolded in 2023, the last time the Black Caps visited India for an ODI series.

Missed by an inch

The first game of the mentioned series was played on January 18, 2023, in Hyderabad. India, batting first, set a target of 349 runs at the expense of eight wickets. From the Indian batting line-up, Shubman Gill was the star in the blue jersey, having scored 208 runs in 149 balls at a strike rate of 139.59, and his innings included 19 boundaries and nine sixes. Others, such as Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya contributed 34, 31, and 28 runs, respectively.

(Credit- NDTV Sports)

In response, India’s top and middle order faltered with only 40 crucial runs coming off Finn Allen’s willow. At one point, many had the impression that the Kiwis would lose by a great margin, but at no. 7, Michael Bracewell put in a gallant stand, scoring 140 runs. Not to forget, Mitchell Santner also scored 57 runs in 45 balls, but unfortunately, their efforts could only fetch 337 runs for the Kiwis.

The Black Caps lost by merely 12 runs.

India’s bowling rampage

For the second match, the two sides visited Raipur, where the Indian bowling side ran riot against the Black Caps. Mohammed Shami picked three wickets while maintaining an economy of three, whereas two wickets each were grabbed by Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar, who maintained an economy of below three. In fact, none of the bowlers had an economy of over five, restricting the Kiwis to 108 runs only.

(Credit- The Indian Express)

India chased the target in 20.1 overs at the expense of two wickets. Rohit Sharma scored 51 runs, whereas Gill and Virat Kohli added 40 and 11 runs, respectively.

A whitewash

Despite the series in India’s pocket, the Men in Blue showed no mercy in the third game played in Indore. Batting first, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill scored 101 and 112 runs, respectively. Virat Kohli added another 36 runs, followed by Hardik Pandya’s 54 runs and Shardul Thakur’s 25 runs. The collective efforts helped India post a target of 385 runs.

(Credit- News9live)

New Zealand’s Devon Conway replied with a brilliant 138-run innings, whereas Henry Nicholls scored 42 runs off 40 balls. Unfortunately, the middle-order could not provide enough stability, whereas towards the end, it was again Bracewell and Santner who added 26 and 34 runs, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to given New Zealand.

The Kiwis settled with 295 runs, losing the game by 90 runs and the series with a scoreline of 0-3.

In the coming days, the Men in Blue will hope to repeat the feat they achieved in 2023 because this year, all ODI matches are a preparation for the ODI World Cup 2027.