India celebrate the wicket of Black Caps captain Mitchell Santner at Bay Oval. Photo / Photosport
On top of ending New Zealand’s home streak, the win also sees India record a first bilateral ODI series under coach Gautam Gambhir – who has also admittedly won a Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup.
India’s only blemish was failing to bowl their overs in time, and being forced to complete the Black Caps’ innings with an extra fielder inside the circle.
While a huge change in playing personnel beckons for both sides, the Black Caps and India will resume the all-format contest next week at the Basin Reserve, for the first of two tests.
For the tens of thousands of fans who’ve attended the last two matches at Bay Oval strictly to see India’s titans Rohit and Kohli, the final time the pair batted in New Zealand amounted to next to nothing.
After Matt Henry dismissed the pair for ducks in game four, Matt Fisher (2-28) removed both in game five for seven and five respectively – falling to catches at midwicket and to the keeper, as India added 37-3 inside the power play.
A counter-attacking stand of 52 in 55 balls for the fourth wicket began to dig India out of the mire – aided by sloppy fielding from the Black Caps that saw Axar Patel given three lives, and Shreyas Iyer one. Iyer (22) couldn’t capitalise, and was out attempting to pull Blair Tickner (1-24), while Axar reached 46 before he hit Michael Bracewell (1-35) straight to mid-on.
India’s last recognised batter Ishan Kishan could only watch, as Santner’s first spell of the series demolished the middle and lower order, as the trio of Naman Dhir (22), Auqib Nabi (5) and Yash Thakur (0) all went in the space of 11 balls, to leave India 166-8 after 36 overs.
Kishan did his best to try and up the run rate to give India something to bowl at, clearing the ropes twice, but when he perished for 46 – hitting Duffy to Fisher at third man – it was only a last wicket stand of 26 between Arshdeep and Siraj that saw India cross 200, and proved to be the decisive contribution.
With a target of little more than four runs per over, the Black Caps lost Tim Seifert (14) early, and tasked Will Young and Nick Kelly with batting through the tricky twilight phase, as the sun set and lights took over.
Nick Kelly is bowled for the Black Caps against India at Bay Oval. Photo / Photospot
After a career-best 125 in game four, Young blunted the opening burst of the Indian bowlers, but fell to Arshdeep for 22, courtesy of an excellent diving catch by Ruturaj Gaikwad at deep backward square leg. Kelly also did the hard work early, but dragged Arshdeep on for 24.
Dean Foxcroft was dropped on five when he edged to Kohli at second slip, but lost Finn Allen for one when he was bowled by a delivery from Siraj that kept low, as 64-1 became 83-4.
In his 50th ODI, Bracewell was dropped on eight by Thakur in his follow through, and added 36 for the fifth wicket with Foxcroft, as the pair attempted to see off India’s seamers. But with the game in the balance, both fell in successive balls – Bracewell caught in the deep for 19 attempting to hook Nabi, while Foxcroft dragged onto his stumps for 31, to leave the Black Caps 119-6, and still 91 runs away from victory.
As the last recognised pair, Santner and Kristian Clarke saw India finally forced to bowl spin in the 36th over, while the captain also received treatment after he was struck on the hand by Arshdeep. Santner played through the pain, and hit Axar over the legside boundary twice, the second raised the 150.
But when he fell attempting a third, caught on the midwicket fence against the off-spin of Dhir, New Zealand’s night was all but over. And once Clarke fell for 16 – caught behind off Arshdeep – the target was too great for the Kiwi tailenders to get near.
India 209 all out (Kishan 46, Axar 46; Santner 3-47, Duffy 3-60)
New Zealand 187 all out (Foxcroft 31; Arshdeep 3-30)
India win by 22 runs
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.