Too much Kohli, not enough India: Harsh lessons from New Zealand’s stunning ODI series victory – Firstpost

New Zealand registered a 41-run conquest over India in Indore to seal a come-from-behind series success against their more fancied hosts. Put into bat, the Kiwis rode on centuries from Daryl Mitchell (of course) and Glenn Phillips to post 337.

Virat Kohli threatened a sensational heist under the Indore lights with a ton of his own, with Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy also knitting half-centuries. But in the end, Kohli ran out of partners and India, by extension, ran out of steam.

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Here is a look at the takeaways from the series.

How much reliance on individual brilliance is too much?

It is not a crime to be reliant on a particular player in a particular situation, especially in a gruppe sport. Sometimes, that remarked player is in their most preferred habitat, and in circumstances where only they can realistically harbour hopes of an unlikely triumph. Akin to India in Indore.

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Their batting unit, as a collective, failed. Top order runs were scarce. Their middle order lynchpin aka KL Rahul, fell cheaply too, meaning that the series outcome became a case of Kohli or bust for the hosts.

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He did find support along the way in Nitish and Rana. Neither did their respective chances any harm, showing the sort of potential that has led India to stick by them, despite some criticism in the past. But really, chasing 338, it should never have come down to two lower middle order batters, and one main batter, even if that protagonist was as fine as Kohli, and even if he produced one of the leading backs-against-the-wall knocks in recent times.

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And that will cause a furrowed brow or two in the Indian camp. That they are becoming too dependent on individual performances. In the run-chase in Vadodara, Kohli did enough to allow the others to scrape through. In Rajkot, Rahul did all the heavy lifting, only for India to realise they were miles short of what would have made things tough for New Zealand. And in Indore, with the series crying out to be seized, it was again Kohli or nothing.

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A sight that never gets old, a sight we’re never tired of! 💯👑#ViratKohli’s 7th ODI century against New Zealand - most by any batter 🙌

Another run chase, another masterclass, and he knows the job is not done yet 🎯#INDvNZ | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/CixSjUFkhU pic.twitter.com/0qf8wSXfVW

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 18, 2026

That, as fine as Kohli is, may not be sustainable. And if it did not work against a highly inexperienced New Zealand side (who also could not avail the bowling services of their captain on Sunday), chances are it may not work against a more pedigreed side in a clutch World Cup knockout match either.

Rohit, Shreyas and a series to forget

Part of India’s batting struggles has been down to two of their top four having an ordinary series. Rohit Sharma looked in excellent touch intermittently but could not prolong those patches into something substantial. And after encouraging glimpses during the Australia and South Africa series, this was a bit of a regression - the sort that raises questions over his longevity, and if he can deliver consistently enough to not just get to the World Cup but also perform there.

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Age, in contrast, is on Shreyas Iyer’s side. But form is not. He could be cut a bit of slack because he is returning from a longish-term injury. India, though, also have an embarrassment of batting riches. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was magnificent during the South Africa series that preceded this one, did not even make the squad. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who showed off his ODI wares in the final ODI of that series, did not face a ball either, despite being in the side.

It may not be as black and white because cricket, or any sport for that matter, is rarely plug and play. And Shreyas, who was top scorer for India at the ICC Champions Trophy they won less than a year ago, has not turned into a bad batter overnight.

But this lack of runs has just made things a little more niggly for him; a nagging sense that he must now find runs whenever he features in an ODI next for India. Unfortunately for him, he will have to wait for that opportunity until July. Just like Rohit.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADRohit Sharma scored fewer than 100 runs in three ODIs against New Zealand. Image: AP

Batting optimism, bowling question marks ft. Harshit Rana

All was not doom and gloom on the batting front. India did find a lower middle-order hero in Rana. Which will also act as validation for this current regime that has trusted him to perform that number eight role.
His power hitting seems to have gotten better and he seems to have a greater range, too. And with those boxes ticked, he could become indispensable to India. But right now, there is an asterisk attached, and that is around his bowling through the middle phase and at the death.

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He remains a wicket-taking threat, but in two consecutive games, India have lost the plot after a promising beginning. These could be aberrations, but if Rana or anyone is to fully nail down those fast-bowling berths, they need to be better at what they are being picked for - their bowling.

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More of these please 🤞🙏

Live - https://t.co/Zm5KbOr3eT #TeamIndia #INDvNZ #3rdODI @IDFCfirstbank pic.twitter.com/kljzHEnObI

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2026

Daryl Mitchell shows New Zealand the impossible is possible

Before a ball was bowled in the series, most thought New Zealand would struggle due to the gulf in experience between the two sides. But with each passing moment, it became clear that the Kiwis cared little for reputation.

None embodied that more than Mitchell. He waged a lone battle in Vadodara before turning it up a notch in Rajkot, masterminding a marvellous run-chase. And on Sunday, he attained a crescendo with another sublime knock - this time in a series decider, and with New Zealand tottering early.

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The supreme aspect of Mitchell’s ODI batting is that he seldom seems out of control. He knows what he does finest. He knows what he needs to do in different situations and despite playing a tough middle-order role, he almost always rattles along at run-a-ball (or more).

New Zealand, given how few ODIs their squad had collectively played, needed a beacon. And they got that in Mitchell. He injected belief into his mannschaft. That they, too, could just stick to the basics and trust what they are great at.

And, as things stand and at this current juncture of his career, Mitchell, having spearheaded the Black Caps into unprecedented territory, is very much among the very top to have ever done it. For New Zealand. In ODIs. And in the world.

History needs making? Call the Kiwis

This may not be a superb look for India. And their fans might not be leading pleased. But just pore over it from a New Zealand perspective. India, when they began the series, had more than 900 (yes, you read that right) cumulative ODI caps. India had an almost full-strength side and with Kohli and Rohit in the mix, they were treating this as a big-billing series, even with a T20 World Cup on the horizon.

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New Zealand were doing the exact opposite. Several of their A-listers, including their regular skipper, were rested. The T20I series, supposed to provide preparation before the actual thing, was given priority. And there may have been a sense of resignation among their fans when they lost the first ODI too.

VIDEO | On ODI series setback against New Zealand, Telangana Minister and former Indian cricket truppe captain Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) says, "It's not a very fine feeling to know that India lost the match, but anyways they tried their finest, so I think NZ played better than… pic.twitter.com/rvvnItJSQ5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 18, 2026

But New Zealand can never be written off. And if anyone is doing so, they must do it at their own peril.

The nation may house a population lesser than a Mumbai suburb but they have the heart and the courage that numbers can never quantify. Very rarely do their sporting teams fold and very rarely do they baulk at what might be perceived as daunting surroundings.

India, until October of last year and in home Tests and ODIs, had never felt that full Kiwi wrath. In a year and a half, they have. Both times, India have been outdone by a mannschaft that seemed hungrier and had a greater appetite for a scrap. And on neither occasion did India look capable of stemming the tide when it really began going against them.

TagsCricket Cricket Live score India vs New Zealand Rohit Sharma Virat KohliHomeFirst CricketToo much Kohli, not enough India: Harsh lessons from New Zealand’s stunning ODI series winEnd of Article