Bhubaneswar: India made a flying start after New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl first in the opening match of the series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday. Powered by an explosive knock from Rohit Sharma and a composed innings from Suryakumar Yadav, India raced to 126 for 3 in just 10.4 overs on a batting-friendly surface.
Openers Sanju Samson and Rohit Sharma began aggressively, putting the New Zealand bowlers under immediate pressure. Sharma, in particular, was in devastating form, smashing four boundaries and five towering sixes to accelerate the scoring rate. However, the visitors struck back with quick wickets as Kyle Jamieson and Jacob Duffy removed both openers to briefly stall India’s momentum.
Ishan Kishan, making his debut in the format, announced himself with a crisp boundary but could not convert the start, departing for 8. With India at a slightly precarious position, Suryakumar Yadav stepped up with a calm and assured innings. Playing his milestone match, Yadav scored a steady 32 off 22 balls, rotating the strike efficiently and finding timely boundaries.
Yadav stitched together a crucial 91-run partnership with Sharma, restoring control and placing India firmly on course for a big total. The duo’s contrasting styles—Sharma’s power-hitting and Yadav’s elegant stroke play—kept the scoreboard ticking and unsettled the New Zealand attack.
With plenty of batting depth still to come and the pitch offering good value for shots, India looked well placed to post a challenging total in the series opener.
-OdishaAge
