Mitchell Masterclass Powers New Zealand to Clinical Chase in Rajkot ODI

New Zealand produced one of their most composed ODI chases on Indian soil as Daryl Mitchell’s unbeaten 131 guided the visitors to a 7-wicket win with 15 balls to spare in the 2nd ODI at Rajkot. Despite a valiant century from KL Rahul, India were outplayed in key phases, allowing New Zealand to level the three-match series 1–1.

India’s Innings: KL Rahul Stands Tall Amid Middle-Order Collapse

Asked to bat first on a good Rajkot surface, India finished with a competitive but slightly underwhelming 284/7. The innings promised more than it delivered, largely due to repeated middle-order failures.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill gave India a steady start, but the momentum dipped once Rohit fell in the 13th over. Gill looked fluent during his 56, mixing timing with intent, but his dismissal sparked a mini collapse that exposed India’s long-standing ODI concern — the middle overs.

Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer failed to convert starts, both undone by Kristian Clarke’s clever changes of pace. At 118/4 in the 24th over, India were in danger of finishing below par.

That’s when KL Rahul took complete control.

Batting with maturity and intent, Rahul played one of his finest ODI knocks under pressure. His 112 off 92 balls was a near-perfect innings — rotating strike early, targeting the shorter boundary later, and accelerating when India needed it most. His partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy ensured India crossed the 280 mark, but the lack of a late onslaught meant New Zealand were never truly under scoreboard pressure.

Key takeaway: India scored well, but lost momentum too often. On a ground where 300 is par, 284 always felt chaseable.

New Zealand’s Chase: Calm, Calculated, and Ruthless

New Zealand’s chase began cautiously. Early wickets of Devon Conway and Henry Nicholls kept India interested, and at 46/2, the game was finely balanced.

What followed was a textbook ODI chase.

Will Young anchored one end with a disciplined 87, but the match truly turned into a one-man show once Daryl Mitchell settled. Mitchell was ice-cold under pressure, refusing to panic even when boundaries dried up in the middle overs.

His knock was a masterclass in modern ODI batting — soft hands, smart angles, and brutal punishment of loose deliveries. The 100-run partnership with Young drained India’s energy, and once Young departed, Mitchell seamlessly shifted gears alongside Glenn Phillips.

Phillips’ quickfire 32 ensured there were no late jitters, but this was Mitchell’s night. His unbeaten 131 off 117 balls never looked rushed, yet it dismantled India’s bowling attack piece by piece.

New Zealand crossed the target in 47.3 overs, making a mockery of what once looked like a competitive total.

Bowling Review: India Misses Cutting Edge, Kuldeep Expensive

India’s bowling lacked penetration in the middle overs. Mohammed Siraj bowled tidily but without breakthroughs. Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana chipped in with wickets, but neither could apply sustained pressure.

The biggest concern was Kuldeep Yadav’s off day. Conceding 82 runs in 10 overs, Kuldeep failed to control length or turn, allowing Mitchell and Young to milk singles freely and pounce on boundary balls. Jadeja was economical but ineffective — a pattern that continues to hurt India in ODIs.

New Zealand’s bowlers, by contrast, executed plans better. Clarke’s three wickets broke India’s rhythm, while Bracewell and Lennox strangled runs in the middle phase.

Tactical Talking Points

• India’s middle order remains fragile: Rahul papered over cracks, but Kohli and Iyer’s lack of impact is worrying.
• New Zealand’s chase awareness was elite — no panic, no reckless shots.
• Kuldeep’s form dip could be a concern ahead of the series decider.
• KL Rahul’s ODI credentials continue to grow; he was India’s standout by a mile.

What This Means for the Series

With the series now level at 1–1, momentum has swung firmly New Zealand’s way. India will need sharper bowling plans and more responsibility from the middle order in the decider. New Zealand, meanwhile, will take confidence from their ability to chase big totals calmly in Indian conditions — something few teams manage consistently.

If the final ODI delivers anything close to this contest, fans are in for a cracker.