Mitchell Santner Reflects on New Zealand's ODI Loss to India at Eden Park

In the aftermath of India's five-wicket victory in the first ODI, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner shared insights on his team's struggles at Eden Park. He acknowledged the unexpected bounce and pace of the pitch, which hindered their performance. Despite the batting challenges, Santner praised his bowlers for their resilience. The article delves into the match highlights, including key performances from both teams and sets the stage for the upcoming second ODI in Wellington. Read on for a detailed analysis of the game and Santner's reflections.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 4, 2026, 23:41 IST

New Zealand Captain Analyzes ODI Defeat

Auckland [New Zealand], November 4: Following India's five-wicket win in the rain-affected first ODI of the five-match series, New Zealand's captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged that his team struggled to adjust to the unexpected bounce at Eden Park.

Santner noted that the pitch provided more bounce and pace than anticipated, praising India's bowlers for effectively utilizing the conditions to restrict New Zealand to 185 runs.

“The pitch had more bounce and was faster than we expected at Eden Park. We didn’t adapt as quickly as we should have, and India bowled well,” Santner stated during the post-match press briefing.

Discussing the difficulties posed by the bounce at the venue, the New Zealand skipper remarked that India's players adapted better, especially in dealing with the shorter deliveries.

“Fighting the bounce at Eden Park can be challenging. India used it effectively, and Shreyas aimed for finer shots against the short balls. After the rain, the ball skidded nicely, making it tough,” he added.

Despite the batting challenges faced by New Zealand, Santner expressed satisfaction with his bowling unit's resilience after India started strong in their chase. He commended the fast bowlers for maintaining their competitiveness and not allowing India to dominate.

“I’m pleased with how we fought back. After their strong start, it would have been easy to give up. Credit to the fast bowlers for their efforts. We found some positives towards the end, and we can build on that for Wellington,” he remarked.

Earlier, India opted to field after winning the toss and bowled New Zealand out for 185. Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler with four wickets, while Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj contributed with three and two wickets, respectively.

Tim Seifert was the top scorer for New Zealand, making 38 runs off 43 balls, while Glenn Phillips added 30 runs from 51 balls. Blair Tickner provided a late surge with a quick 34 runs off just 23 balls, including four sixes, helping New Zealand recover from a batting collapse.

India's chase was interrupted by rain, leading to a revised target of 143 runs in 32 overs. Virat Kohli was instrumental in the chase, scoring 74 runs off 51 balls, with 13 fours and a six, while Shubman Gill supported with 56 runs off 37 balls.

Although New Zealand fought back with Jacob Duffy taking the wickets of Kohli and Axar Patel in one over, KL Rahul and Naman Dhir remained not out, guiding India to victory with five wickets in hand.

The second ODI of the series is scheduled to take place in Wellington on Saturday.