IND vs NZ 2023: Hits and flops as India register another cleansweep in Indore 

In what was a high-scoring dead-rubber, Team India trounced New Zealand by a healthy margin of 90 runs to complete another bilateral series whitewash at home. The third ODI was played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Tuesday, January 24.

After being put to bat first, India dominated proceedings from the get go as skipper Rohit Sharma and his opening partner Shubman Gill added 212 for the first wicket. They did so in just 26.2 overs.

While Rohit smashed 101 off 85 balls with the aid of nine fours and six sixes, Gill contributed 112 runs from just 78 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and five maximums.

A mini slump in the middle overs saw the hosts lose successive wickets. Hardik Pandya, though, flourished at the death, smashing 54 off 38 balls, which propelled the Men in Blue to 385/9 in their allotted 50 overs.

Chasing 386, New Zealand lost Finn Allen for a duck, as he was bowled by Pandya. However, Devon Conway kept the Kiwis in the hunt with an incredible century. He scored 138 off only 100 balls, clobbering 12 fours and eight sixes.

At the halfway stage, the Kiwis were reasonably placed at 184/2. However, Shardul Thakur dismissed Daryl Mitchell (24) and Tom Latham (0) off consecutive deliveries before also sending back Glenn Phillips (5). The triple strike put India firmly in control, and the visitors eventually ran out of steam.

The hosts had another reason to cheer as they also became the No. 1 team in the ICC ODI rankings following their 90-run win on Tuesday.

To complete the review of the match, let's take a look at the hits and flops from the recently concluded third ODI in Indore.

---

#4 Flop - New Zealand's middle-order

Glenn Phillips had a poor third ODI and overall series against India

Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls brought New Zealand back into the game by adding 106 runs for the second wicket. However, the Kiwi middle-order failed to build on the platform provided to them by the duo.

Daryl Mitchell, in at No. 4, did support Conway during their 78-run partnership, but his 24 runs from 31 balls at a strike rate of less than 80 wasn't entirely desirable. Mitchell's dismissal led to two more quick wickets for New Zealand as they dug themselves into a deep hole.

The Indian middle-order also didn't perform up the mark in the first innings, but they received enough from their top three batters. The experienced Kiwi unit of Mitchell, Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips had to script their run-chase in a measured and calculative way but failed to do so.

---

#3 Hit - Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur in action during the third ODI [Pic Credit' BCCI]

Shardul Thakur's uncanny ability to pick up wickets at crucial junctures has been extremely fruitful for India since his debut. The 31-year old was on top of his game once again on Tuesday and enhanced India's grip on the game with a match-turning spell of 3/45.

Just when it looked like the Blackcaps were fighting their way into the game, Thakur provided a much-needed breakthrough. He dismissed Mitchell with a well-timed bouncer before getting the better of Kiwi skipper Tom Latham with a knuckleball off the very next delivery.

In the next over, he dismissed Phillips to reduce the visitors from 184/2 to 200/5 and almost single-handedly ditched New Zealand out of the game.

His bowling performance wasn't his only highlight in the game, as Thakur also played a vital cameo of 25 runs from 17 in the first innings. The Maharashtra lad was also named as the Player of the Match for his all-round exploits on Tuesday despite three batters scoring centuries across both teams.

---

#2 Flop - Suryakumar Yadav

With Shreyas Iyer missing the series due to an injury, Suryakumar Yadav had a terrific opportunity to translate his T20I form into the longer white-ball format.

However, even after participating in all three games, the series didn't go as planned for the flamboyant batter. It culminated with an unsatisfactory performance of 14 from nine balls in Indore.

Coming at No. 5 with more than 11 overs still to go, Suryakumar was tasked with arresting the slide for India in the middle overs. He enjoyed a good start and even slammed two sixes early on on Tuesday. However, he failed to convert his start and holed out to long-on in an attempt to chip a slower ball over the leg-side.

It now leaves Suryakumar's position in the team hanging by a threat once Iyer returns from injury.

---

#1 Hit - Indian openers (Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill)

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill stitched a 200+ run partnership on Tuesday [Pic Credit: BCCI]

Perhaps the biggest positive for India from the recent ODI series against New Zealand was the partnerships between openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.

After two fifty-plus stands in the first two ODIs, the duo made the most out of the batting-friendly conditions in Indore. They took the Kiwi bowlers to the cleaners right from the start and stitched a wondrous partnership of 212 runs in just 26.2 overs.

While Rohit used his muscle and might, Gill displayed utter elegance and class. With the pitch offering nothing for the bowlers early on, it only seemed like a formality before the Indian openers reached their respective hundreds.

Rohit got there first, with a single off Blair Tickner in the 26th over. The 83-ball ton was the Indian captain’s first in the ODI format since January 2020. In the same over, Gill also reached his century, off only 72 balls, hitting the Kiwi pacer for a four, thus carrying on his rich vein of form with the willow.

Unfortunately, for both the right-handers, they couldn't convert their hundreds into bigger milestones as they were dismissed within the span of seven balls.

Rohit perished for 101 off 85 balls, bowled by Michael Bracewell as he looked to slog a ball that turned and kept a little low. Gill also lost his wicket when he miscued a short ball from Tickner and skied a catch point. He was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 112 from only 79 balls, his second hundred of the series.