Kohli and Rana put together a 99-run partnership for the seventh wicket that briefly threatened to derail New Zealand’s celebrations.

New Zealand posted 337 for 8, powered by superb centuries from Daryl Mitchell (137) and Glenn Phillips (106). For India, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana picked up three wickets each. In reply, India were bowled out for 296 despite a brilliant 124 from Virat Kohli, with Nitish Kumar Reddy (53) and Rana (52) offering valuable support. New Zealand won the match by 41 runs.

Just over a year after scripting history with their maiden Test series win in India, New Zealand have now achieved another landmark — their first-ever ODI series victory on Indian soil. Despite arriving with an injury-hit squad and losing the opening match, they bounced back strongly to clinch the series 2-1. The deciding win in Indore also handed India their first loss in 14 home ODIs when winning the toss.

Once again, Daryl Mitchell proved to be India’s biggest tormentor. He struck his second century of the series, his fourth hundred against India, and his fourth in Indian conditions. Glenn Phillips joined him with New Zealand at 58 for 3, and together they stitched a commanding 219-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Phillips’ 106 came off just 88 balls and laid a solid foundation for the bowlers. Defending 337, New Zealand made early inroads, reducing India to 71 for 4. This was an Indian side missing Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya, with a fragile lower middle order.

Virat Kohli, however, kept India’s hopes alive. He brought up his 54th ODI century and guided two young seam-bowling allrounders, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana, to their maiden ODI fifties. Still, the asking rate remained high, forcing India to take risks. Kohli eventually fell short — only the fifth time he has failed to finish a chase after scoring an ODI hundred.

Kohli’s innings unfolded in three clear stages. He began aggressively, attacking the fast bowlers and scoring quickly with four boundaries and a six in his first 24 deliveries. As wickets fell around him, he shifted gears, rebuilding patiently with just one boundary in a stretch of 52 balls. The final phase was explosive. After Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were dismissed in quick succession, India needed 160 at nearly nine an over. Kohli surged from 74 off 76 balls to a century in 91, while Rana smashed his fifty in just 41 balls. But Rana’s dismissal left too much for Kohli to do alone, and once he fell with 46 still required from 27 balls, the chase effectively ended.

New Zealand’s bowlers contributed at different stages. Kyle Jamieson used movement off the seam to halt India’s early momentum, most notably removing a dangerous Shubman Gill. Jayden Lennox, playing only his second ODI, impressed with his control and variation on a ground unfriendly to spinners, finishing with 2 for 42. Zak Foulkes and Kristian Clarke claimed three wickets each, while Phillips chipped in with tidy overs in the absence of captain Michael Bracewell.

Lennox and Phillips together conceded just 96 runs in 18 overs, comfortably outbowling India’s spin pair of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, who were taken apart for 89 runs in just 12 overs combined. Once again, New Zealand’s batters handled India’s spinners far better. Mitchell set the tone by stepping out to Kuldeep’s very first delivery and launching it straight down the ground for six.

India delayed using Jadeja until the 30th over, relying instead on Reddy’s medium pace. Though effective initially, Reddy faded as his spell went on. With no breakthroughs in the middle overs, Mitchell and Phillips accelerated smoothly. After a steady start, they plundered runs at will. Mitchell was authoritative with his timing and range against spin, while Phillips’ quick hands and power saw him race to his second ODI hundred off just 83 balls.

New Zealand threatened to push past 350 but lost wickets in clusters at the death. Mohammed Siraj bowled with control and skill, finishing wicketless but economical, while Arshdeep Singh and Rana picked up three wickets each despite conceding runs.

Given Indore’s reputation as a high-scoring venue, 337 initially appeared chaseable. In the end, though, it proved beyond India, despite another outstanding effort from Kohli.